How Many Calories Are Burned While Walking? Here’s the Explanation

How to Burn More Calories While Walking

Walking is an enjoyable and easy form of exercise that offers significant benefits for both physical and mental health.

This type of physical activity can be done outdoors, indoors, or on an inclined treadmill to increase calorie burn.

According to Health, for overall health and disease prevention, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults engage in the following amounts of physical activity:

150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination each week.

Calories Burned

The average number of calories burned while walking varies depending on factors such as body weight, walking speed, and the distance covered.

For example, an average person weighing 140 pounds burns about 64 calories per mile while walking at a moderate pace of 2.8 miles per hour (mph). Meanwhile, a person weighing 200 pounds burns about 87 calories at the same pace and distance.

Age and the type of terrain (such as flat pavement versus hills) can also affect the total number of calories burned.

Speed, Weight, and Distance Factors

Your walking speed, distance, and body weight determine how many calories you burn while walking.

The Compendium of Physical Activities, a resource used by many researchers to estimate and classify the energy cost of human physical activities, lists various walking speeds that can be used to calculate overall calorie burn.

According to this classification, a person weighing 170 pounds burns approximately 80 calories by walking one mile at a slow pace (2.0 mph), 74 calories at a moderate pace (2.8 mph), 83 calories at a brisk pace (3.5 mph), or 91 calories at a very fast pace (4 mph).

You can adjust your speed and distance over time depending on your fitness goals. For example, if you're new to walking as a form of exercise and want to progress to a brisk walk, it’s recommended to start slowly and gradually increase your steps and speed over time.

How to Burn More Calories While Walking

If you want to boost calorie burn while walking, several effective methods and tips can help, including:

• Walking at a faster pace burns more calories compared to walking at a slow or moderate pace.
• Walking uphill or increasing the incline on a treadmill. Compared to walking on flat surfaces, walking on hills or an inclined treadmill requires more energy, burning more calories.
• Taking the stairs whenever possible. Climbing or descending stairs increases your overall steps, which helps burn more calories.
• Adding intervals of sprinting or jogging into your walk will significantly boost your speed and result in more calories burned.
• Try to walk more throughout your day. Walk to the store or during lunch instead of driving.
• Listening to your favorite music while walking can increase your intensity and make walking more enjoyable.

Another simple way to burn more calories and increase your steps throughout the day is by standing up more often. Try pacing around your home while talking on the phone. The muscles in your back and legs will work harder to burn more calories over time. ***