Step calculator
Steps to calories calculator
Reviewed See sources
Short answer
10,000 steps burns about 420 kcal for a 70 kg adult walking at a moderate pace. The calculator uses about 0.0006 kcal per step per kg of body weight, so at 90 kg the same walk is about 540 kcal.
Steps to calories
How the calculation works
Formula
kcal = steps × 0.0006 × body weight (kg)
Walking at around 100 steps a minute is a moderate activity of roughly 3.5 METs in the Compendium of Physical Activities. Spread over the steps taken in that time, that works out to about 0.0006 kcal per step for every kilogram you weigh: 0.042 kcal a step at 70 kg.
Heavier bodies use more energy to move, so the estimate scales with weight. It does not know your pace, hills, load or fitness, all of which change the real number, so treat it as a ballpark.
The figure is the gross energy of the walk. Some of it is what your body would have burned sitting still anyway, so the extra calories from walking are a little lower.
Worked example: 7,500 steps at 85 kg (187 lb)
- Per step = 0.0006 × 85 = 0.051 kcal.
- Total = 7,500 × 0.051 = 383 kcal.
- So 7,500 steps burns roughly 383 kcal for someone weighing 85 kg.
Calories burned by steps and body weight
Precomputed with the same formula as the calculator above.
| Body weight | kcal per step | 5,000 steps | 10,000 steps | 15,000 steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 0.030 | 150 kcal | 300 kcal | 450 kcal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 0.036 | 180 kcal | 360 kcal | 540 kcal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 0.042 | 210 kcal | 420 kcal | 630 kcal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 0.048 | 240 kcal | 480 kcal | 720 kcal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 0.054 | 270 kcal | 540 kcal | 810 kcal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 0.060 | 300 kcal | 600 kcal | 900 kcal |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 0.066 | 330 kcal | 660 kcal | 990 kcal |
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do 10,000 steps burn?
About 420 kcal for a 70 kg adult, from about 300 kcal at 50 kg to 660 kcal at 110 kg.
How many calories does one step burn?
About 0.042 kcal at 70 kg, or 0.0006 kcal for every kg you weigh. That is roughly 4 kcal per 100 steps for an average adult.
How many steps does it take to burn 100 calories?
About 2,380 steps at 70 kg, fewer if you weigh more: about 1,850 at 90 kg.
Does walking faster burn more calories per step?
Somewhat. Brisk walking and hills raise the energy cost per minute, and per step a little too. This calculator assumes a moderate pace of about 100 steps a minute, so a fast or hilly walk will burn more than it shows.
Can I use steps to plan weight loss?
Steps help, but calorie estimates from any step counter are rough. Weight change depends on diet, sleep and much else. Our guide on walking for weight loss covers what the research found.
More step calculators
- Steps to km calculator10,000 steps ≈ 7.5 km. Add your height for your own step length.
- Walking time calculator10,000 steps ≈ 1 h 40 min at a brisk 100 steps/min.
- Treadmill steps calculator30 min at 5 km/h ≈ 3,160 steps. Enter km/h or mph.
- Steps to miles calculator10,000 steps ≈ 4.7 miles; about 2,150 steps make a mile.
Step counts in km, miles and calories
Steps in a distance
Sources
- Ainsworth BE et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 20112011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values(opens in a new tab)
- Tudor-Locke C et al., International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2019Walking cadence (steps/min) and intensity in 21–40 year olds: CADENCE-adults(opens in a new tab)
Ready to count your steps?
Open the free step counter in your phone browser. It counts on your device, with no app, no account and no tracking of where you walk.