Calories burned walking 10000 steps

xxzenabxx

So according to this article I burn around 400 calories walking 10000 steps...is that accurate?
https://www.verywellfit.com/pedometer-steps-to-calories-converter-3882595

concordancia

Are you walking flat or on steps or hills?

nasr25

I would pay more attention to miles walked then steps took. Reason being is that your steps per mile can very and a mile is a mile. For me being really heavy at 280 1 mile burns about 80 calories. 10000 steps for me is about 4 miles so about 320 calories burned.

Lillymoo01

nasr25 wrote: »

I would pay more attention to miles walked then steps took. Reason being is that your steps per mile can very and a mile is a mile. For me being really heavy at 280 1 mile burns about 80 calories. 10000 steps for me is about 4 miles so about 320 calories burned.

I partially agree with where you are coming from but can't fully agree with that. So much depends on your height which will affect your stride length. If you and I were exactly the same weight but you were a foot taller, who would burn the most after walking a mile? I would have to take a much larger number of steps to walk that same distance.

apullum

The link you posted assumes steps per mile based on a height range, so it is actually just guessing at a steps to miles conversion. It's also not super precise for me, at 112 lb and just under 5 feet tall. It thinks everyone under 5'5" takes 2400 steps per mile (no clue whether that's accurate for me or not, but I feel pretty confident that I do not burn the same number of calories over the same distance as someone who's 5'5"), then only gives calorie burns in increments of 1000 steps and at weights in increments of 10 pounds. I'd have to do a fair amount of math to figure out what it thinks my calorie burn would even be.

And it's Friday night, so I'm not gonna do math.

It seems better to track in miles instead. There's almost always some estimation involved in calculating exercise calories, but this way you'd be removing one possible source of inaccuracy.

Folks here usually recommend calculating walking calories as 0.3 * (weight in lb) * (miles walked). If you know how many miles you walk, you can use that equation.

Hannahwalksfar

I burn more walking uphill hiking than I do flat ground to the shops. How much more I have no idea but the harder you work the more you burn generally.

NorthCascades

Lillymoo01 wrote: »

nasr25 wrote: »

I would pay more attention to miles walked then steps took. Reason being is that your steps per mile can very and a mile is a mile. For me being really heavy at 280 1 mile burns about 80 calories. 10000 steps for me is about 4 miles so about 320 calories burned.

I partially agree with where you are coming from but can't fully agree with that. So much depends on your height which will affect your stride length. If you and I were exactly the same weight but you were a foot taller, who would burn the most after walking a mile? I would have to take a much larger number of steps to walk that same distance.

I don't think that matters very much for two reasons:

All the research based stuff I've seen always comes down to mass over distance.

I can take big or small strides if I concentrate on it. I have to take more steps with a smaller stride length, but they're easier, I don't have to move my legs as far. That makes me think it's a wash.

Lillymoo01

NorthCascades wrote: »

Lillymoo01 wrote: »

nasr25 wrote: »

I would pay more attention to miles walked then steps took. Reason being is that your steps per mile can very and a mile is a mile. For me being really heavy at 280 1 mile burns about 80 calories. 10000 steps for me is about 4 miles so about 320 calories burned.

I partially agree with where you are coming from but can't fully agree with that. So much depends on your height which will affect your stride length. If you and I were exactly the same weight but you were a foot taller, who would burn the most after walking a mile? I would have to take a much larger number of steps to walk that same distance.

I don't think that matters very much for two reasons:

All the research based stuff I've seen always comes down to mass over distance.

I can take big or small strides if I concentrate on it. I have to take more steps with a smaller stride length, but they're easier, I don't have to move my legs as far. That makes me think it's a wash.

Those smaller strides might be easier for you but there is a huge difference between the distance covered with a small stride for you and a small stride for me when I am not even 5 foot. While it would not make much difference for me whether I walked the mile with smaller strides or larger strides it would make a difference between two different people who are the same weight but with a huge difference in height. For me to keep up with someone who is over 6 feet tall I am at a brisk walk for their moderate walk. I would be putting in more energy as a result.

Edited to add this http://www.nbcnews.com/id/40149514/ns/health-fitness/t/take-stretch-short-people-burn-more-calories-walking/#.XVeMAugzY2w

GummiMundi

I never factor in distance when I log my walks, I don't even know how many kms I'm walking. All I care about is a) how slow/fast I'm doing it (moderate, brisk, etc.), and b) for how long I'm doing it. Besides, when manually logging walks on MFP, those two variables are the only ones being considered, so that's enough for me.

I have a pedometer that registers my number of steps (not linked with MFP) and the time spent, so I know that it takes me around 1h20/1h25 to walk 10k steps.
One of the reasons why I don't care about the distance is precisely because I'm short (therefore, with a smaller stride length) and all the average tables and whatnot don't seem to take this under consideration.

amyepdx

Depending on how you got 400 calories, it may include calories from just being alive too.

lgfrie

xxzenabxx wrote: »

So according to this article I burn around 400 calories walking 10000 steps...is that accurate?
https://www.verywellfit.com/pedometer-steps-to-calories-converter-3882595

Some math:

Average stride = 2.5 feet (this is the default for most pedometers and is pretty accurate)
5280 feet in a mile
# steps in a mile = 2112

10,000 steps = 4.73 miles
Average calories burned per walked mile = 100 (it varies, but 100 is a good general figure)

Total gross calories for 10,000 steps = 473

Onward to net calories:

Typical TDEE = eh, let's make up a number, 2200
Average calories burned per hr just being alive = 2200/24 = 92

Total time to walk 4.73 miles @ typical 3 mph = 1.58 hours
Calories burned just being alive during those 1.58 hours = 1.58 * 92 = 145

Gross calories burned in 10,000 steps (473) minus the calories you woulda burned sitting on the couch instead (145) = 328

tl;dr: Walking 10,000 steps burns net 328 calories.

xxzenabxx

concordancia wrote: »

Are you walking flat or on steps or hills?

Mostly flat area

xxzenabxx

Also I’m 5’ 4” and 160lbs

xxzenabxx

lgfrie wrote: »

xxzenabxx wrote: »

So according to this article I burn around 400 calories walking 10000 steps...is that accurate?
https://www.verywellfit.com/pedometer-steps-to-calories-converter-3882595

Some math:

Average stride = 2.5 feet (this is the default for most pedometers and is pretty accurate)
5280 feet in a mile
# steps in a mile = 2112

10,000 steps = 4.73 miles
Average calories burned per walked mile = 100 (it varies, but 100 is a good general figure)

Total gross calories for 10,000 steps = 473

Onward to net calories:

Typical TDEE = eh, let's make up a number, 2200
Average calories burned per hr just being alive = 2200/24 = 92

Total time to walk 4.73 miles @ typical 3 mph = 1.58 hours
Calories burned just being alive during those 1.58 hours = 1.58 * 92 = 145

Gross calories burned in 10,000 steps (473) minus the calories you woulda burned sitting on the couch instead (145) = 328

tl;dr: Walking 10,000 steps burns net 328 calories.

Wow I’m still trying to figure out all that math but thanks!

spiriteagle99

I don't like using steps to gauge my exercise because it is so imprecise. If I run, 10,000 steps is about 5.25 miles. When I walk, it's more like 4.5. If it's just putzing around the house or shopping, it's part of my TDEE so doesn't count at all as extra calories. When we're on vacation and I'm doing a lot of extra walking, but not necessarily on trails, I'll subtract at least 2 miles from the total because that's part of my daily life calorie burn, rather than deliberate exercise.

lgfrie

xxzenabxx wrote: »

lgfrie wrote: »

xxzenabxx wrote: »

So according to this article I burn around 400 calories walking 10000 steps...is that accurate?
https://www.verywellfit.com/pedometer-steps-to-calories-converter-3882595

Some math:

Average stride = 2.5 feet (this is the default for most pedometers and is pretty accurate)
5280 feet in a mile
# steps in a mile = 2112

10,000 steps = 4.73 miles
Average calories burned per walked mile = 100 (it varies, but 100 is a good general figure)

Total gross calories for 10,000 steps = 473

Onward to net calories:

Typical TDEE = eh, let's make up a number, 2200
Average calories burned per hr just being alive = 2200/24 = 92

Total time to walk 4.73 miles @ typical 3 mph = 1.58 hours
Calories burned just being alive during those 1.58 hours = 1.58 * 92 = 145

Gross calories burned in 10,000 steps (473) minus the calories you woulda burned sitting on the couch instead (145) = 328

tl;dr: Walking 10,000 steps burns net 328 calories.

Wow I’m still trying to figure out all that math but thanks!

haha yeah I'm a bit OCD with the math. Here's the simpler point: you get 32.8 calories per 1000 steps. That's what that math is showing.

aevely2

I walk an average of 10 Kilometres a day. For me, 10,000 steps is approximately 6.1. km (3.8 miles). I am 5'4" and 120 pounds. I use Map My Fitness to map my mileage and steps - MMF gives me 305 calories for 10,000 steps. This is for a brisk walk on fairly level trail. Leisurely stills have lower counts and steep trails and running steps will have higher calorie counts. I don't bother counting steps around the house - just purposeful walking.