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Quick answer: Walking burns roughly 0.57 calories per pound of body weight per mile, so a 160 lb person burns about 90 calories per mile and around 240 in a brisk 45 minute walk. Use the calculator below to dial in your weight, pace, time, and hills.
MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the research standard for exercise energy cost.
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Exercise scientists measure activity in METs, multiples of resting energy burn. The Compendium of Physical Activities assigns walking a MET value by pace: an easy 2 mph stroll is 2.8 METs while a 4.5 mph power walk hits 7.0. Calories are then MET value times your weight in kilograms times hours walked, with a multiplier for hills. It is the same math used in published exercise research.
Two honest caveats. First, these are gross calories, including what you would have burned sitting; the walking-specific extra is roughly 20 percent lower. Second, fitness trackers and this calculator can disagree by 10 to 20 percent; both are estimates, so pick one and track the trend.
| Pace | 30 minutes | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|
| Easy stroll (2.0 mph) | about 100 | about 205 |
| Casual (2.5 mph) | about 110 | about 220 |
| Moderate (3.0 mph) | about 125 | about 255 |
| Brisk (3.5 mph) | about 155 | about 310 |
| Fast (4.0 mph) | about 180 | about 365 |
| Power walk (4.5 mph) | about 255 | about 510 |
Flat terrain, Compendium MET values. Heavier walkers burn proportionally more, lighter walkers less.
Moving more mass costs more energy, period. A 250 lb walker burns about 56 percent more than a 160 lb walker at the same pace and time. It is the single biggest variable, which is why generic “walking burns 100 calories a mile” claims miss for most people.
The jump from 3.5 to 4.5 mph nearly doubles the MET value because fast walking is mechanically awkward, forcing your body to work harder than an easy jog would. If you cannot walk longer, walking faster buys a surprising amount.
Rolling terrain adds roughly 30 percent to the burn and steep climbs 60 percent or more. A hilly 30 minute loop can out-burn a flat 45 minute one; treadmill users can copy the effect with a 5 to 10 percent incline.
Walking does not create much post-exercise burn, so the calories on screen are close to the whole story for a single walk. The compounding wins come from frequency: a daily 30 minute moderate walk is about 875 calories a week, roughly a pound of fat per month at constant intake.
Roughly 0.57 calories per pound of body weight: about 74 for a 130 lb person, 91 at 160 lb, and 114 at 200 lb, on flat ground at ordinary paces. Hills and very fast walking push the per-mile figure higher.
At a moderate 3 mph pace, expect about 125 calories at 160 lb, 155 at 200 lb, and 100 at 130 lb. Brisk pace or hills can raise those figures by 25 to 60 percent, so a hard hilly half hour can pass 200 calories.
Ten thousand steps is roughly 4.3 to 5 miles for most adults, which works out to about 390 to 450 calories at 160 lb and 490 to 560 at 200 lb. Spread through a normal day rather than one continuous walk, the total is the same.
At 160 lb: about 255 calories at a moderate 3 mph, 310 brisk, and over 500 power walking at 4.5 mph. Add roughly 30 percent for rolling hills. Heavier walkers scale up proportionally.
About 180 calories for a 160 lb walker and 230 for a 200 lb walker on flat ground. Two miles takes roughly 40 minutes at a moderate pace, and doing it daily adds up to about 1,260 calories a week at 160 lb.
For your safety
Estimate disclaimer: Calorie figures are estimates from population-average MET values; individual metabolism, stride, and fitness shift real numbers by 10 to 20 percent. Weight change depends on overall intake, not any single walk. This tool is for general fitness planning, not medical or dietary advice.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
