How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking Per Mile or Kilometer?

Walking is the most popular low-impact exercise that works the cardiovascular system to improve heart health. One study found that participants who walked 30 minutes a day were able to decrease heart disease risk by 19 percent.

Walking is a great way to burn calories with little risk of injury. Researchers found that walking at a steady pace is easier on the joints than running.

In our article, we share how to calculate the number of calories you burn per mile or kilometers while walking. We also include measurement conversions if you prefer one measuring system over another.

Calories Burned Based on Weight

One way to calculate how many calories you burn walking per mile is based on body weight. Multiply your body weight by 0.53.

For example, a person who weighs 140 pounds would follow this equation:

140 x 0.53 = 74.2

Therefore, a 140 pound person burns 74.2 calories walking one mile.

For the metric system, you’d convert body weight into kilograms instead of pounds (140lbs = 63.5 kg) and multiply by 1.17.

63.5 x 1.17 = 74.3

So a 63.5-kilogram person burns 74.3 calories walking one mile.

Calories Burned Based on Speed

Another way to calculate how many calories you burn walking per mile is by walking speed. Calculating by speed or miles per hour is more accurate than by weight because when moving at a fast pace, the body uses more energy and works the muscles more vigorously than at a moderate pace.

To calculate walking speed, divide the distance by the time you walked. If you walked 3 miles in 2 hours, you would divide 3 by 2, giving you 1.5. Therefore you walked 1.5 miles per hour.

The following charts show the number of calories you can burn at specific speeds walking on a level surface. Walking on an uphill course or incline is an excellent way to improve your weight loss goal. The body can burn 35 to 40 calories more when you walk at an incline because there’s more stimulation in the leg muscles at an incline than walking on a flat surface.

Calories Burned Per Mile at a Pace of 2.5 to 3.5 mph (Flat Surface)

Moderate walking speed is 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour and can take about 17 to 24 minutes per hour, or 10 to 14 minutes per kilometer. This is a good speed to get the heart pumping and lose weight. The following table shows how many calories you burn per mile based on weight and speed.

Calories Burned Per Mile at a Pace of 4.5 mph (Flat Surface)

Increasing your speed to 4.5 mph sets a brisk pace, so the body burns more calories. You may be breathing harder than you would at a moderate pace and feel more strain in your calf muscles. The below table gives the number of calories the body burns walking at 4.5 mph.

Measurement Conversions

If you prefer the metric system over the customary system, the following formulas help you convert miles into kilometers.

Converting Miles to Kilometers

1 mile equals 1.6 kilometers

Multiply 1.6 by the number of miles walked to determine the distance in kilometers. For example, if you walk 4.5 miles, multiply 4.5 by 1.6, which equals 7.2 kilometers.

Converting Kilometers to Miles

1 kilometer equals 0.62 miles

Multiply 0.62 by the number of kilometers walked to determine the walking distance in miles. If you walk 2 kilometers, multiply 2 by 0.62 which equals 1.24 miles.

How to Calculate the Number of Calories Burned Per Mile

If you want an exact calculation to determine calorie burn, use the following formula:

BMR x METs/24 x hour

Many fitness trackers and online calculators use this formula to track your basal metabolic rate (BMR), metabolic equivalents (METs), and the time you spend walking.

BMR

BMR, or basal metabolic rate, refers to how many calories the body needs for essential functions, including circulation, digestion, and breathing. A common way to calculate your BMR is through the Harris-Benedict Equation, which uses your age, sex, height, and weight.

The following BMR equations are for men and women:

• Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x body weight in kilograms) + (4.799 x height in centimeters) – (5.677 x age in years)
• Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kilograms) + (3.098 x height in centimeters) – (4.330 x age in years)

METs

The metabolic equivalent, or MET, refers to energy expenditure in a resting position and describes the intensity level of different physical activities. For instance, if a walking workout equals 2 METs, then you would need to use 2 times more energy than you would in a resting position.

The MET for most walking workouts ranges from 2.0 to 5.0 METs.

• Slow Pace: 2.0 METs
• Moderate Pace-2 mph: 2.5 METs
• Brisk Pace-3 mph: 3.5 METs
• 3.5 mph: 4.0 METs
• 4.0 mph: 4.5 METs
• 4.5 mph: 5.0 METs

Once you’ve determined your BMR and MET, you can calculate burn calories.

Here’s an example:

A 40-year-old man who weighs 200 pounds, is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and walks for 90 minutes at a pace of 40 miles per hour:

818.665 (BMR) X 4.5 (METs)/24 x 1 = 153

This person will burn 153 calories for this walking workout.

FAQs

Do you burn more calories running a mile or walking?

Running burns almost twice as many calories as walking because you’re engaging more muscle groups and using more energy. However, running does increase the impact on your joints—you may experience knee or joint pain. If you’re new to exercise or trying to get back into shape, it might be better to start off walking, then gradually build up to running.

Can you lose belly fat by walking?

You can lose belly fat by walking, but only when walking at a brisk pace for at least 45 minutes each day. Slower walking paces aren’t enough to burn belly fat. Instead, the body loses water weight, which doesn’t affect overall body weight. To increase weight loss, try to walk faster or walk for a longer period of time.

Is walking every day enough exercise?

Walking is a great daily exercise as long as you walk for at least 30 minutes. Depending on your fitness goals, you may also want to incorporate other exercises like strength training and swimming. Make sure to stretch before and after a workout—stretching beforehand warms up the muscles, and afterward, stretching helps cool the body down and improve recovery.

Why is walking better than running?

In some ways, walking is healthier than running. To start, walking is a low-impact exercise, meaning it doesn’t wear down the joints as much as running, and you’re less likely to injure yourself. Walking is also easier to do than other workouts, like elliptical training, and still burns calories.

Both walking and running are excellent cardiovascular exercises, but walking improves heart health more effectively than running. One study found that participants who regularly run had a 4.5 percent reduced risk of heart disease, but walking participants had a reduced rate of 9.3 percent.

What muscles are toned by walking?

Walking is beneficial because it engages your legs muscles, including calves, quads, glutes, and thighs. Walking also works other muscles, like your hip flexors, abs, even your deltoids, since the arms naturally swing from side to side when walking. As you walk and work these muscles, you’re not only building up strength and endurance, but you’re increasing stability and decreasing the risk of future injuries, like back pain.

Conclusion

For those with weight loss goals in mind, walking is an excellent calorie-burning exercise. You can calculate total calories burned through body weight or speed, but if you’re looking for a more accurate formula, we recommend the Harrison-Benedict Equation. If you’re not a math-savvy person, there are many online calculators available. You only need to input the information and click a button to find the number of calories burned.