Steps to Calories Calculator

Are you getting your steps in? Many people try to walk 10,000 steps a day as part of a healthy lifestyle - but just how many calories does that burn? Let's find out...

How to calculate calorie burn

As a rule of thumb, most people burn between 0.04 and 0.05 calories for each step taken, which means it takes between 2,000 and 3,000 steps to burn 100 calories. This equates to around a mile of walking, at a moderate to brisk pace. However, it's not quite that clear-cut because it depends very much on how much you weigh. The heavier you are, the more calories you burn.

You'll also burn more calories if you're taller. You can use our steps to calories calculator (at the top of this page) to get a more accurate idea of how many calories you burn when you walk or run, based on your height and weight.

Factors that affect calorie burn

As well as your height and weight, there are a few other factors that can affect how many calories you burn with each step. One of the most important is your speed. As you might guess, if you're moving faster, you'll burn more. The same is true if you try walking on a steep incline, or if you try power-walking - the increased arm movement will help you burn more.

Some people also wonder if the temperature can affect how many calories you burn. The simple answer is yes: in hot weather, you'll burn more. However, you should always stay safe when exercising in heat; don't be tempted to overexert yourself in the name of weight loss, as the effects of heat exhaustion and heatstroke can be deadly.

Here's a quick checklist of factors:

1. Your pace of walk or run: The faster you move, the more energy you expend.
2. Your unique body: Your weight and height play important roles in how many calories you burn.
3. Your route choice: Including hill climbs or uneven terrain in your walk or run will increase the calorie-burning effect.
4. Your workout duration: Fairly obvious one, but the longer you walk or run, the more calories you'll burn.

Using the MET formula to calculate calorie burn

Have you ever wondered how much energy different activities use? The Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) is a handy way to measure it. Basically, one MET is the energy you burn just sitting still. So, higher MET values mean you're using more energy.

As an example, if you're doing something with a MET value between 1-3, it's regarded as low-intensity. Activities between 3-5.9 METs are moderate-intensity, and anything over 6 METs is high-intensity.

If you want to calculate the calories burned using the MET formula, you will need the MET value for your activity, as well as your weight and the duration of the activity. Here's the formula in action:

As an example, walking at a moderate pace (3mph) has a MET value of about 3.5, while brisk walking (4mph) is around 5 METs. This gives you a good estimate of how many calories you’re burning. Keep in mind that things like your metabolism, the terrain, and your walking style can change the actual number.

Walking like Mr Teabag

If you want a more extreme example, the 'Mr. Teabag' walking style from the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks, has a MET score of 8.0, meaning you burn calories at around 2.5 times the rate of normal walking. 56

If you're wondering how they found this out, look no further than a 2022 experimental study, conducted at the Arizona State University.

The small study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that doing a Mr. Teabag-style walk was the equivalent of running at 5mph or 6mph, with 12-19 minutes/day of Teabag-style steps increasing daily energy expenditure by around 100 kcal. 7

If you want to look up specific MET values for different activities, it's worth checking out the Compendium of Physical Activities website.

How many steps does it normally take to burn 100 calories?

This depends on your height, weight, pace and terrain. However, a person who weighs around 160 lbs (or 72.5 kg) will have to walk approximately 2,500 steps at an average pace (3mph) to burn 100 calories. This equates to a distance of around 1.1 miles.

By increasing the pace of your walk to 4mph, the number of steps required to burn 100 calories reduces to around 2,000, which equates to just over a mile of walking.

How many calories do 10,000 steps burn?

Many of us have the health goal of walking 10,000 steps a day. That's a distance of around 4.5 miles, or 7.25 km - although the exact distance you cover will depend on your stride, and can be found out here.

For the average person, walking 10,000 steps at a normal walking speed will burn approximately 350-450 calories, depending on height and weight. To put that in perspective, there are 563 calories in a Big Mac - so you'll need to do a few extra laps of the park if you want to treat yourself after all that walking.

How many calories do you burn in a mile of walking?

This can seem like a complicated formula, but luckily we're here to do the math for you. There are usually around 2,250 steps in a mile. That means an average adult will burn around 80-90 calories walking that distance - but again, it may be more or less, depending on how much you weigh, how tall you are, and how fast you're moving.

What exactly are calories?

We've talked a lot about calculating calories based on step and distance measurements, but what exactly is a calorie?

In simple terms, a calorie is a measurement of energy. Specifically, it's the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water from 0 degrees to 1 degree celsius.

In terms of diet, everything that we eat contains calories. There are 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrate, 4 calories in a gram of protein, and 9 calories in a gram of fat. Note that you can convert between calories and energy kilojoules (kj) here.

If we burn the same number of calories as we consume, our weight remains stable. Burn more and it goes down; burn less and it goes up. We burn calories all the time, even when we're sleeping. However, we burn far more calories if we exercise. While vigorous exercise is a more efficient way of burning them, every kind of movement helps - and yes, that includes a good old-fashioned walk around the block.

Health advisory notes

Walking is a good way of starting exercise, as it has a lower impact than other forms of cardio. However, if you're planning to start a new fitness regime, it's always advisable to speak with your doctor or other qualified health professional first. This is particularly important if you currently do little to no exercise, as you may be putting yourself at risk of harm.

When walking to burn calories, make sure that you wear adequate footwear. People who are starting a new walking schedule may want to get fitted for supportive footwear, especially if they are significantly overweight. If you walk with incorrect shoes, you put yourself at risk of injury.

If you are currently very overweight or obese, then exercise such as running is not recommended unless you are under professional supervision. Gentle walking will be easier on your joints and help reduce the risk of a joint injury. Again, please consult a doctor or other medical professional before beginning any kind of new training schedule.

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