How Many Calories Does Walking Burn

Walking is the most accessible way to burn calories: no gym, no gear, and no special preparation needed. But how many calories does it actually burn?

These figures are approximate and depend on individual factors.

What calorie burn depends on

Calorie expenditure for any activity depends on three things:

• Body weight. The more you weigh, the more energy movement requires.
• Intensity. Brisk walking, climbing a hill, or taking the stairs burns noticeably more than a leisurely stroll.
• Time. The longer you walk, the more you burn.

How many calories walking burns

On average, casual walking is about 3.5 MET (a measure of intensity). For a person weighing 70 kg, that's roughly 130 kcal in 30 minutes. For comparison, running (about 9.8 MET) burns around 360 kcal in the same 30 minutes.

To get an exact figure for your own weight and time, use the activity calorie calculator — it also covers running, cycling, swimming, strength training, and more.

How calorie burn is calculated

It's based on the MET formula: kcal = MET x 3.5 x weight(kg) / 200 x minutes. MET shows how much more intense an activity is compared to rest: about 3.5 for walking, 9.8 for running, and 2.5 for yoga.

Walking vs. running: which to choose

Running burns more calories per unit of time, but walking is easier on the joints and simpler to do every day for longer stretches. For weight loss, consistency and total movement volume matter more than one-off intensity. 10,000 steps a day is a solid target.

It's not just about calories

Remember that weight loss depends primarily on diet: it's hard to burn off a large calorie surplus through exercise alone. So it makes sense to pair walking with mindful eating — the calorie calculator can help you work out your daily target.

Walking is underrated: it's a simple, safe, and reliable way to increase your daily calorie burn and feel better overall.