It’s a rule of thumb in the fitness community that you should be walking a minimum of 10,000 steps each and every day. And, while that’s a great goal to set, many people find themselves wondering just how many calories that burns.
In general, 10,000 steps is equal to walking about five miles. This varies a bit depending on your step’s length, of course, but walking 10,000 steps every day is a great fitness goal to start with. And, by basing it on steps instead of miles, you’ll find that it’s much easier for you to get active every day because you can easily spare a few steps in your free time.
But, if you’re wondering just how many calories 10,000 steps will burn, the answer is: it depends. The number of calories you burn walking will vary based on your age, height, weight, and some other factors. You’ll also burn more calories walking consecutively for a few minutes at a time versus getting up to take two steps to a drawer and back.
However, if you want to approximate just how many calories you’ll burn by walking 10,000 steps every day, it’s a very simple process. All you need to do is find a free online calculator that enables you to approximate how many calories you burn by walking. Generally, it will break it down by the time you spend walking and/or the distance you go.
Obviously, factors such as how fast you are walking and the incline you’re walking at will contribute to calorie burn. For our calculation purposes, choose 0% incline and a comfortable speed. Most people walk at around 2.5 to 3 miles per hour.
The calculator may tell you that you burn about 250 calories an hour, which is equal to walking about 2.5 miles in distance. That means, since 10,000 steps is equal to about 5 miles in distance, you burn around 500 calories in a day by walking 10,000 steps. Of course, your unique estimations will vary, so be sure to use a calculator and input your body composition information in order to get a more accurate estimation.
When it comes to tracking your steps, you can get an old school step tracker or a new smart watch that will monitor your activity throughout the day. An app on your smartphone can also be used, and they’ll generally estimate your calorie burn for you.