Walking Calorie Calculator

Calculate how many calories you burn walking with our free walking calorie calculator. Whether you are walking for weight loss, general health or to train for a marathon, you can get an accurate estimate of how many calories you burn using our walking calculator. Walking is one of the most accessible and effective forms of exercise, and now you can keep track of how many calories you are burning.

Calories Burned

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Calories Burned Walking

How Many Calories Does Walking Burn?

Walking is one of the most accessible and effective forms of exercise. There is no equipment needed, it can be done pretty much anywhere and is easy on the joints. How many calories does walking burn? The number of calories burned walking will depend on:

Body weight
Walking pace
Time spent walking
The terrain you are walking on

Using our walking calorie calculator takes the guesswork out of the equation.

On average, a 150-pound person burns 100 calories a mile walking. A 200-pound person burns about 130 calories a mile walking. Burning calories walking uphill or at a faster pace increases the number of calories burned walking. Our walking calorie calculator takes this into account by using MET values to give you an accurate and personal calories burned estimate.

How to Use the Walking Calorie Calculator

Using our calories burned walking calculator is simple:

Enter your weight. The more accurate the better!
Enter the average speed you walk at. This is how many miles per hour (mph) you walk at on average
Enter the minutes you walk for
Click calculate walking calories and see how many calories you have burned!

💡 Pro Tip: If you are walking on a treadmill, calories burned walking uphill will burn more calories than if you are walking on flat ground. You can adjust your speed or time to calculate these additional calories burned or use our Calorie Calculator for a more comprehensive estimate.

Why Walking is Great for Weight Loss

Walking is underrated when it comes to weight loss. While it may not burn as many calories as HIIT or running, it has other benefits such as:

It's low impact
It's sustainable (you can do it all your life)
Burning calories is still a good thing!
Improves mental health
Improves heart health
Is a form of cardio

To create a calorie deficit needed for weight loss, the calories burned walking or doing any other activity need to outweigh the calories you eat. Using a Calorie Calculator can help you work out how many calories you need to eat to create this calorie deficit.

How to Burn More Calories While Walking

Want to know how to burn more calories walking? There are several ways to increase the number of calories you burn walking, including:

Walking faster
Walking uphill or on a treadmill
Walking for longer
Walking with intervals
Walking with weights
Walking on different surfaces such as sand

Walking vs Running: Which Burns More Calories?

Running burns more calories per minute than walking, but how many calories does walking burn? Running can be hard on the joints. Walking is a sustainable form of exercise that is easier on the joints and has been shown to burn calories.

It all depends on what you want to achieve and how much time you have. If you have time to walk for an hour, this is great for your joints and will burn calories. If you are short on time, running or incline walking may be a better option.

Walking and Heart Health

As well as being a calorie burner, walking is great for your heart. Walking has been shown to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of heart disease and strokes. It improves circulation, strengthens the heart and is good for overall heart health.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as brisk walking per week. This is great when combined with a healthy diet to reduce the risk of heart disease and support heart health.

The "Talk Test": How to Gauge Your Walking Intensity

A good way to measure the intensity of your walking is by using the "Talk Test". If you can sing while walking, you are exercising at a very light intensity (Zone 1). If you can hold a conversation but not sing, you are exercising at a moderate intensity (Zone 2). If you are struggling to talk at all, you are exercising at a high intensity (Zone 3 or 4).

There are several different heart rate zones that are all beneficial for different reasons. Zone 2 is the fat-burning zone and is the most popular heart rate to aim for when trying to lose weight. Zone 4 is a higher intensity and is good for improving your cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. If you are new to walking or want to start walking as a form of exercise, you should aim to be in Zone 2 or 3.

How Many Steps is a 30-Minute Walk?

If you like to keep track of steps rather than time, a 30-minute walk is about 3,000 to 4,000 steps. If you walk faster, you can get up to 4,500 steps. This can then be combined with the walking calculator above and the step goals from your smartwatch. (You can use our Steps to Calories Calculator if you want to convert from steps to calories.)

The Mental Health Benefits of Walking

The benefits of walking don't stop at burning calories - it's great for your mental health too. Walking, particularly outdoor walking (sometimes called 'forest bathing'), has been shown to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. A 10-minute walk after a stressful meeting or a 30-minute walk outside is a great way to lower your stress levels and improve your overall mood.

Why Walking After Meals is a Game-Changer

If you want to improve your metabolism, taking a 10-15 minute walk after your largest meals is a great way to do it. Walking after meals has been shown to lower blood sugar levels by helping to move glucose from the bloodstream to the muscles, where it can be used for energy. It can also help to aid digestion and prevent bloating. Although walking after meals won't burn a huge number of calories (it could burn 50-70 calories depending on your size and speed), it has incredible metabolic benefits.

FAQs About Walking Calories

How many calories does walking burn per mile?

The average calories burned walking per mile for a 150-pound person is 100 calories. The number depends on weight, speed and terrain walked on.

Is walking good for weight loss?

Yes, walking is an excellent low impact exercise for weight loss. It has a number of health benefits as well as burning calories.

How long should I walk to burn 500 calories?

For a 150-pound person, walking 3.5 mph for 90 minutes will burn approximately 500 calories.

Does walking on a treadmill burn more calories?

Walking on a treadmill can burn more calories than walking on the flat if you walk uphill. Use our treadmill calorie calculator to see how many extra calories you would burn.

Do I need special shoes for walking?

It's a good idea to get a good pair of walking shoes as opposed to running shoes or old shoes. They are important to stop foot and knee pain and support walking on different terrains.

Is it better to walk in the morning or at night?

When is the best time to walk? The best time to walk is whenever you can do it consistently. Some people prefer to walk in the morning to wake up and get some fresh air, while others prefer to wind down in the evening.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimations based on standardized equations; it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical or fitness advice. Please consult with a healthcare provider before initiating any new health or fitness program.