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Steps to Calories Calculator

Created by Joanna Michałowska, PhD candidate
Reviewed by Dominik Czernia, PhD, Jack Bowater and Łucja Zaborowska, MD, PhD candidate
Based on research by
Brooks AG, Gunn SM, Withers RT, Gore CJ, Plummer JL. Predicting walking METs and energy expenditure from speed or accelerometry.; Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise; July 2005
Last updated: Jan 18, 2024


The steps to calories calculator helps you to estimate the total amount of calories burned while walking. Have you ever wondered how many calories does 10,000 steps burn? Check our tool to find out!

If you don't know the exact amount of steps you're taking, check the walking calorie calculator.

Prefer watching rather than reading? We made a video for you! Check it out below:

Health benefits of walking

If we want to get out the bed in the morning, we will have to walk to our next location. Walking is an activity so easy to engage in that we can all do it without thinking, and it is associated with many health benefits:

  • increase in our cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness levels;
  • prevention of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer;
  • stronger bones;
  • improved balance;
  • reduction in excess body fat;
  • increase of muscle power and endurance; and
  • mood improvement.

To learn more about some of the medical conditions mentioned above, visit the diabetes risk calculator or CVD risk calculator.

Steps to calories burned

Walking doesn't require any equipment; it can be done almost anywhere, at any time of day. But how many calories do we burn while walking?

The energy you burn while walking depends on many factors, including:

  • the number of steps (or distance);
  • your weight;
  • your height; and
  • your pace.

The pace calculator may be helpful if you need to focus on the last parameter.

Steps to calories calculator

Our steps to calories calculator uses a formula that takes into account the factors mentioned in the previous paragraph. That's why we need the following information:

  • your weight - the heavier you are, the more calories you burn while walking;
  • your height - it's needed to assess your stride length, and therefore calculate the distance you covered;
  • the number of steps taken; and
  • your pace - the faster you walk, the faster your heart beats and the more calories you burn.

How many calories does 10000 steps burn?

A lot of experts recommend 10,000 steps per day - let's find out how our steps to calories calculator works using this example!

  1. First, we need to enter a height and weight. Let's assume that our exemplary person weighs 70 kg (154 lb), and is 183 cm (6 ft) tall (don't worry - you can easily switch between SI and imperial units using our tool!);
  2. Let's enter the number of steps - 10,000; and
  3. We need to choose the pace - let's choose an average pace of 3 miles/hour (4.8 km/h).

Results:
This person burns 404 kcal every 10,000 steps!

Calories per step

We estimate that the average person (someone who weighs approx. 70 kg or 160 lb) burns 0.04 kcal per step. As mentioned before, the energy expenditure depends on your height, weight, and pace, so this value might be different for you. If you are interested in how many calories you burn per step, hit the Advanced mode button 😉

How can you increase your number of daily steps?

Implement the following tips to increase your number of daily steps (you will be surprised with the results!):

  • walk to the local shops instead of driving;
  • try to walk to work (for at least part of the way) - you can get off the bus one or two stops earlier or walk one way and use public transport on the way back;
  • use the stairs instead of escalators and lifts whenever you can;
  • take your dog on more frequent and longer walks;
  • walk instead of sitting when you talk over the phone with someone; and
  • measure the number of steps you take - research shows that people using pedometers walk more.

Finally, check the calories burned calculator to see how many calories you burn with other activities.

FAQ

How many steps do I take to burn 100 calories?

It strongly depends on your weight, height, and pace, but an average human of 150 lbs would need to walk ~2700 steps to burn 100 calories. This range will vary mainly between 1000-4000 steps. The lighter you are, the more steps you need to take to burn 100 kcal.

How do I calculate calories burned by steps?

To count calories burned by steps:

  1. You need to know your weight in kilograms, height in meters, how many steps you've taken, and your pace in m/s. You can stick to the general pace values and their MET cofactors:
    • Slow - 0.9 m/s (2.8 MET);
    • Average - 1,34 m/s (3.5 MET);
    • Fast - 1,79 m/s (5 MET).
  2. Use the following formulas to calculate the stride and the walked distance.
    stride = height × 0.414
    distance = stride × steps
  3. Calculate the walking time:
    time = distance/speed
  4. Finally, count the calories burned:
    calories = time × MET × 3.5 × weight/(200 × 60)

How many calories do I burn with 10000 steps if I weigh 187 lbs and I'm 5 ft 9 in?

With the 10000 steps, you burn approximately 469 kcal at the average 3 mph pace. If you move at a 2 mph pace, you will burn ~559 kcal, and it will take you much longer. If you walk at a fast 4 mph pace, you will burn around 501 kcal.

Does stepping side to side burn calories?

Yes, stepping side to side burns calories, just like every movement does. This activity is sometimes called step touch, and it's a basic aerobics/fitness movement.

Joanna Michałowska, PhD candidate
Weight
lb
Height
ft
Number of steps
Speed
Average
🏃🏃 3 miles/hour (4.8 km/h)
Calories burned
kcal
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