How calories burned walking is calculated

This calculator uses a widely used exercise-estimation approach called MET, short for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. A MET is a way to describe exercise intensity as a multiple of your resting energy use. By definition, 1 MET is roughly the energy your body uses at rest.

Walking has different MET values depending on speed. A slow stroll has a lower MET (less intensity), while a brisk or power walk has a higher MET. Once we choose a MET, the core equation becomes:

• Calories burned (kcal) ≈ MET × weight (kg) × time (hours)

Why this works: MET values represent oxygen consumption and energy output relative to body mass. When you multiply the MET by your body weight in kilograms and by how long you walked in hours, you get an estimate of total energy expended.

• < 2.0 mph: ~2.0 MET (slow stroll)
• 2.0–2.4 mph: ~2.8 MET (easy walk)
• 2.5–2.9 mph: ~3.0 MET (light walk)
• 3.0–3.4 mph: ~3.3 MET (normal walk)
• 3.5–3.9 mph: ~4.3 MET (brisk walk)
• 4.0–4.4 mph: ~5.0 MET (very brisk)
• 4.5+ mph: ~7.0 MET (racewalking / fast power walk)

Incline note: If you add incline (grade %), the calculator applies a gentle adjustment. Hills can massively increase energy cost, but the true relationship depends on the steepness, the surface, and your walking mechanics. For a simple planning estimate, we apply:

• Adjusted MET ≈ MET × (1 + 0.12 × incline%)

Example: At 3.5 mph (~4.3 MET), a 5% incline becomes ~4.3 × (1 + 0.12 × 5) = ~6.9 MET. That’s a big jump — which matches real life: hills feel very different than flat sidewalks. We cap the adjustment to keep results reasonable for common walking grades.

Examples you can copy (and compare)

These examples show exactly how the math plays out. Use them to sanity-check your result, or to plan “walk blocks” you can repeat each week.

• Weight: 170 lb = 77.1 kg
• Speed: 3.7 mph → ~4.3 MET
• Time: 45 minutes = 0.75 hours
• Calories ≈ 4.3 × 77.1 × 0.75 ≈ 249 kcal

• Weight: 150 lb = 68.0 kg
• Speed: 2.3 mph → ~2.8 MET
• Time: 90 minutes = 1.5 hours
• Calories ≈ 2.8 × 68.0 × 1.5 ≈ 286 kcal

• Weight: 200 lb = 90.7 kg
• Speed: 3.2 mph → ~3.3 MET
• Incline: 6%
• Adjusted MET ≈ 3.3 × (1 + 0.12×6) ≈ 5.7 MET
• Time: 30 minutes = 0.5 hours
• Calories ≈ 5.7 × 90.7 × 0.5 ≈ 259 kcal

Notice something interesting: in Example 3, the walk is shorter than Example 1, but the hill increases intensity enough to bring calories into a similar range. That’s why incline is one of the fastest ways to increase walking output without running.

Using walking calories for goals (fat loss, maintenance, performance)

Calories burned from walking are most useful when you treat them as a planning estimate, not a perfect truth. Wearables disagree, treadmills exaggerate, and two people can burn different calories at the same speed due to stride, efficiency and fitness. But for building habits, planning routines, and comparing “walk A vs walk B,” this calculator is a strong starting point.

If your goal is fat loss, walking shines because it’s easier to recover from than running, and you can stack it daily without feeling wrecked. One practical approach:

• Estimate your daily maintenance calories with the TDEE Calculator.
• Pick a conservative deficit target with the Calorie Deficit Calculator.
• Use walking calories as a “bonus” buffer — not as permission to eat back everything.

Example: If your walk burns ~250 kcal, you can choose to treat it as a cushion that makes your deficit easier to maintain. This reduces the “I walked so I can eat anything” trap — which is surprisingly common.

If you’re maintaining weight, walking is a clean lever: add or subtract 10–20 minutes per day to stabilize your weekly energy balance. Pair this with the Weight Maintenance Calculator if you’re trying to stop slow creep up or down.

For runners or lifters, walking is a low-impact way to increase total weekly activity without interfering with hard sessions. Many people use brisk walking as “Zone 2-ish” aerobic work. If you want a simple heart-based approach, check your estimated zones using Target Heart Rate Zones.

Social proof is a cheat code for consistency. If you’re doing a steps challenge, calculate your walk, then share the output as a screenshot. People tend to stick to habits longer when they “make it public” — even in a small group chat.

Why your wearable may disagree

It’s normal to see different calorie numbers across apps and devices. Here are the biggest reasons:

• Terrain & surface: grass, sand, trails and stairs change cost.
• Wind & temperature: cold or headwind increases energy demands.
• Stride & efficiency: two people can walk the same speed with different effort.
• Incline estimation: treadmill incline and outdoor elevation aren’t always accurate.
• Heart rate response: stress, caffeine and sleep can raise HR and change estimates.

For most people, a MET-based estimate is “good enough” for planning. If you want tighter numbers, use trends: compare your calories for the same route over time, or use your scale and measurements. The direction matters more than the exact daily number.

If you’re optimizing body composition, calories are only half the story. Make sure protein supports your goal using the Protein Intake Calculator, then use walking as the consistency engine.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many calories does walking burn per mile?

  It depends on your weight, speed, and hills. A common rough rule for flat walking is that heavier people burn more calories per mile because they move more mass. Use this calculator by entering your speed and time for one mile (time = your pace) to estimate your personal result.

• Is brisk walking better than slow walking for fat loss?

  Brisk walking burns more calories per minute, but slow walking can be easier to do for longer. For fat loss, the best “walking plan” is the one you can repeat consistently for weeks. Many people do a mix: easy walks for volume and brisk walks for intensity.

• Do I need to “eat back” walking calories?

  Not usually — especially if your goal is fat loss. Walking calories are best treated as an estimate. If you’re very active or training hard, you may need more food overall, but “eating back” every walking calorie can stall progress because many trackers overestimate.

• What speed counts as a brisk walk?

  For many people, brisk walking is around 3.5–4.0 mph (5.6–6.4 km/h). But “brisk” is also about effort: you should feel warm and slightly breathy, but still able to talk in short sentences.

• What if I don’t know my walking speed?

  Use distance and time to compute it. Our Walking Pace Calculator converts distance + time into pace and speed. Then copy the speed here.

• Is incline walking “better” than running?

  They’re different tools. Incline walking is lower impact, often easier on joints, and can still be very intense. Running is higher impact but time-efficient. If your goal is consistency without injury risk, incline walking is an underrated option.

Friendly reminder: calorie estimates are not a moral scorecard. Use them as feedback, not judgment. Your body is allowed to be human.