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  • Calories burned from walking
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In a world of weight-loss injections, "fat-burning" super-green potions and high-tech digital gym equipment, putting on a pair of sneakers and simply going out for a walk can seem impossibly old-fashioned. But there's a reason humans have been doing it (minus the sneakers) for millions of years: Not only can walking get you where you need to go, it can help you burn calories while achieving a whole slew of other health benefits, including lowering your blood pressure, improving your mood, strengthening your bones, aiding digestion and much more. New research shows that, particularly for women, walking can keep the brain healthy and possibly even delay the onset of dementia.

And here's the great thing about walking: The bar is so low to start, that if you have use of your legs, you are likely doing some walking every day, no matter how much of a couch potato you claim to be. "Walking is one of the fastest, easiest ways to burn calories, because you can squeeze it in any time, even inside your home," says fitness expert and author Denise Austin. The trick is to purposely add more walking to your day (at least 30 minutes), and to work up to a pace that burns those calories more efficiently.

But just how many calories will you actually burn by walking? The answer is surprisingly simple. "A quick guesstimate of how many calories the average person burns is 100 calories per mile — and that's whether you're running a marathon or taking a nice leisurely stroll," says Timothy Burnett, Ph.D., an instructor of kinesiology at Oregon State University Cascades.

To break this down: If you move at a brisk pace and walk that mile in 12 minutes, you'll burn 8.3 calories per minute; if you prefer a more leisurely stroll and take 20 minutes to get the coffee shop a mile away, you'll burn 5 calories per minute. But no matter how fast or slow you walk, when you hit the one-mile mark, you’ll have burned the same number of calories. It's just that the faster you go, the less time it will take to burn the same calories.

We also want to note that weight loss, health and body image are complex subjects — before deciding to go on a diet or switch up your exercise, we invite you to gain a broader perspective by reading our exploration into the hazards of diet culture.

That said, there is one other factor to consider. "For a long time, research has been dominated by doing tests on men,” says Burnett. “We're correcting that now, but the 'average person' in these studies is a man who weighs 150 pounds." So, if you weigh more than that, you will burn more than 100 calories per hour and if you weigh less, you'll have to walk farther to burn the same number of calories. "The more you weigh, the more mass you have to move around, meaning you'll burn more calories," Burnett explains.

To estimate the rate for your specific weight, you can use this calculator from the American Council on Exercise, or take a look below at a rough calorie breakdown based on both your weight and the kind of walk you’re taking.

Calories burned from walking


For People Who Weigh Between 120-140 Pounds


Walking at a Moderate Pace (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 50 calories
  • 30 minutes: 100 calories
  • 1 hour: 200 calories

Walking at a Fast Pace (4-5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 95 calories
  • 30 minutes: 185 calories
  • 1 hour: 370 calories

Walking Uphill (3.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 90 calories
  • 30 minutes: 180 calories
  • 1 hour: 355 calories

Walking Up Stairs (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 120 calories
  • 30 minutes: 240 calories
  • 1 hour: 500 calories

Walking Downhill (2.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 40 calories
  • 30 minutes: 85 calories
  • 1 hour: 165 calories

For People Who Weigh Between 140-160 Pounds


Walking at a Moderate Pace (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 60 calories
  • 30 minutes: 112 calories
  • 1 hour: 225 calories

Walking at a Fast Pace (4-5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 100 calories
  • 30 minutes: 214 calories
  • 1 hour: 430 calories

Walking Uphill (3.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 102 calories
  • 30 minutes: 204 calories
  • 1 hour: 408 calories

Walking Up Stairs (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 130 calories
  • 30 minutes: 275 calories
  • 1 hour: 545 calories

Walking Downhill (2.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 50 calories
  • 30 minutes: 95 calories
  • 1 hour: 190 calories

For People Who Weigh Between 160-180 Pounds


Walking at a Moderate Pace (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 65 calories
  • 30 minutes: 127 calories
  • 1 hour: 255 calories

Walking at a Fast Pace (4-5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 120 calories
  • 30 minutes: 245 calories
  • 1 hour: 485 calories

Walking Uphill (3.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 115 calories
  • 30 minutes: 230 calories
  • 1 hour: 465 calories

Walking Up Stairs (3 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 155 calories
  • 30 minutes: 310 calories
  • 1 hour: 620 calories

Walking Downhill (2.5 mph)

  • 15 minutes: 54 calories
  • 30 minutes: 110 calories
  • 1 hour: 215 calories

FAQs

What's the best way to track calories burned?

If you don't want to use pencil and paper to track the distance walked and then calculate out the number of calories burned (hello, high school math!), then there are a few easy ways to figure out your stats. The easiest may be to invest in a fitness tracker. Two top choices: the Fitbit Versa 3 Health & Fitness Smartwatch ($159) or the more budget-friendly Fitbit Inspire 2 ($62). While this investment isn't necessary to get the most out of your walk, it may inspire you to keep moving.

How can you burn more calories by walking?

Once you get your groove on and going out for a walk becomes a natural part of your day, you can step up the calorie-burning mojo with these strategies:


What are the other health benefits of walking?

Walking is one of the best activities for your health, head to toe. Here are five other benefits of walking to keep in mind:

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Tehrene Firman
Web Editor
When she’s not keeping up with the latest health news, Tehrene is probably doing one of the following things: walking her fluffy little dog, Trixie, blogging about food and fitness at TehreneFirman.com, watching Law & Order: SVU, or getting her sweat on in Pilates or spinning. And if she’s not doing any of the aforementioned activities, she’s probably eating french fries.
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Marisa Cohen
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Marisa Cohen is an editor in the Hearst Lifestyle Group’s Health Newsroom, who has covered health, nutrition, parenting and culture for dozens of magazines and websites over the past two decades.

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Medically reviewed byStefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., NASM-CPT
Nutrition Lab Director

Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.