Giulia Ralph is a qualified Nutritionist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Weightlifting Coach, and Personal Trainer. She has a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutrition and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition.
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The calories burned by walking for one hour will surprise you. Understanding how many calories you can burn may appear complicated, but you’ll soon learn how to calculate the total.
You can count the calories you burn using some simple tricks. Let’s now look at how to measure them during your walks and other exercises to help you burn more and lose weight.
The calories burned walking for one hour each day shows how you can shed pounds. Here’s a quick overview of calories you may burn daily for an hour’s walk if you’re aged 30 and weigh 140 lbs. (17):
How many calories you burn in an hour while walking is dependent on many factors, such as weight, gender, height, and age. Now let’s learn to calculate how many calories you burn in different situations.
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The calories burned walking for one hour or any duration requires an understanding of how you calculate them. Not everyone will burn the same amount of calories while performing the same activity. The most accurate way of determining the calories you burn depends on the following:
BMR is the number of calories you burn at a resting state, depending on your age, gender, height, and weight (3). No two people will burn the same calories or have the exact same BMR. This calculation shows the calories you require to sustain basic daily bodily functions.
Concordia University has demonstrated how METs are calculated by how much energy you expend during a range of activities (11). Sitting quietly for example, expends roughly one MET, which is equivalent to one calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour.
However, moderate-intensity walking burns approximately 3-5.9 METs (calories) per body weight kilogram per hour. Faster-paced and higher-intensity walks will burn more calories. Finally, the distance or duration of your walk adds to the number of calories you burn.
A simple equation for manually calculating calories burned is BMR x METs / 24 x hours. This equation means the following if you use the BMR and METs (3, 11):
The manual calculation can be an effective way of determining how many calories you burn per hour while walking if you use the BMR calculator and METs divided by hours (3, 11). But how does this translate to losing weight by walking every day?
Read more: 13 Walking Lunges Alternative Options For Bad Knees, Painful Toes, Or Plateaued Ventures.
The Mayo Clinic suggests, as a general guide, to burn 500 calories daily or 3,500 calories weekly to lose ½-1 pounds each week (8). Taking the example of the 30-year-old woman who is 5’4” tall and weighs 135 pounds with a 1,403 BMR to see if she can lose weight (3), she sticks to a 2,000-calorie meal plan and burns 1,403 calories daily without effort. She burns a further 204.6 calories, walking an hour each day. She does nothing else to cause a calorie deficit. Therefore, 2,000-1,403-204.6 means that she still retains 392.6 calories extra daily.
Her failure to burn these excess calories means she will not lose weight. However, using the same BMR x METs / 24 x hour calculation, if she increases the intensity of her walks with an incline to make them vigorous (3) will see her METs increase to 6+ per kilogram per hour (11).
The same woman could burn 350.7 calories per hour with fast-paced or 4+ mph walking. If she were to drop her daily calorie intake to 1,500 to lose weight, she would consume 1,500 calories and burn 1,403+350.7, leaving her with a daily deficit of 253.7 calories.
This lady could slowly lose weight by walking for an hour each day and reducing her calorie intake. Also, this calculation doesn’t factor in other ways in which she can burn calories. For example, Harvard suggests she will burn the following number of calories by performing these simple tasks for 30 minutes daily (6):
The BMR calculation of calories burned per hour does not include any of the activities she does outside of rest. Therefore, she may be able to cause a calorie deficit by only walking at 3 mph. The next factor to consider is whether she’ll burn fat.
The University of Michigan researched how walking speeds affect fat loss in specific parts of the body (9). Results displayed that total body fat can be lost through both slow and faster walking methods if the duration is adequate, with longer duration typically increasing the amount lost. Further to this, both walking speeds can have positive effects on the reduction of visceral fat. The study highlighted an important factor that individuals with a higher body fat should first start with slower walking. Ultimately, 30-year-old women could achieve belly fat loss via many methods, including working at higher METs or faster paces of at least 3.72 mph or for a longer duration.
The total calories burned walking one hour slowly will surprise you. Firstly, the University of Michigan’s research found that slow-pace walking produced greater fat loss results for overweight individuals initially, however, walking at all paces can support positive results. (9). The calculator shows how many calories 25-year-olds weighing 150 lbs will burn when walking at 2 mph (17):
Walking 1-mile calories are dependent on terrain, intensity, distance, weight, and speed (16). Calculating the calories burned on different 1-mile walks using the calculator is simple if you include the time it takes to walk a mile.
For example, walking at 3 mph for a mile takes roughly 20 minutes. However, walking 4 mph for a mile takes 15 minutes. The table shows 30-year-old men and women walking a mile at different paces (17):
| 3 mph | 4 mph | 5 mph | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5’2” 150 lbs woman | 69.6 | 75 | 99 |
| 5’6” 160 lbs woman | 73 | 79 | 104 |
| 5’4” 150 lbs man | 78 | 84 | 111 |
| 5’8” 160 lbs man | 84 | 90 | 119 |
Knowing how far you must walk or for how long you must walk to burn 1,000 calories is more challenging. Let’s use the calculator to determine 25-year-old men and women walking at 3.5 mph with varying BMRs (17). The following shows the distance they must walk and how long it will take at a moderate pace.
| BMR | Duration | Distance | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5’4” 140 lbs woman | 238 minutes | 13.88 miles | 1016 |
| 5’6” 150 lbs woman | 225 minutes | 13.12 miles | 1000 |
| 5’8” 140 lbs man | 210 minutes | 12.25 miles | 1020 |
| 6’1” 150 lbs man | 195 minutes | 11.37 miles | 1018 |
Walking for one hour daily isn’t suitable for everyone as some people don’t have the time. Let’s now use the calculator to determine how many calories you can burn walking at 3 mph for 45 minutes daily (17):
| Gender | Age | Height | Weight | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman | 28 | 5’4” | 140 lbs | 155 |
| Woman | 35 | 5’6” | 150 lbs | 158 |
| Man | 28 | 5’6” | 150 lbs | 180 |
| Man | 35 | 5’9” | 160 lbs | 186 |
Sometimes, you will have a set calorie deficit goal. In this case, the calculator can also give you an idea of how fast you must walk for an hour each day to burn 500 calories. Let’s use different BMRs to determine this (17):
| Gender | Age | Height | Weight | Pace | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman | 27 | 5’5” | 145 lbs | 5 mph | 502 |
| Woman | 36 | 5’7” | 152 lbs | 5 mph | 504 |
| Man | 29 | 5’6” | 164 lbs | 4.5 mph | 503 |
| Man | 33 | 5’9” | 165 lbs | 4.5 mph | 509 |
Please note that anything over 4 mph is not considered to be a natural walking speed. Healthline states that jogging is 4-6 mph (19). Therefore, you can’t realistically burn 500 calories per hour by walking unless you walk vigorously or fast enough for it to become a light jog.
Determining how many calories you burn by counting your steps requires the use of another calorie calculator that factors in height, weight, and the pace of your steps. The table uses the step-to-calorie calculator that includes these factors for individuals who walk 10,000 steps daily (15):
| Height | Weight | Pace | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5’2” | 140 lbs | 2 mph | 375.7 |
| 5’5” | 148 lbs | 3 mph | 349.56 |
| 5’8” | 155 lbs | 3 mph | 383 |
| 6’1” | 163 lbs | 4 mph | 462.4 |
Ph.D. candidate Joanna Michalowska and her associates used METs research to design the calculator (15). It is also important to remember that heavier individuals have more mass to move and require more energy, thereby using higher METs (11).
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The total calories burned walking one hour a day is dependent on various factors. However, you can increase the calories you burn during an hour’s walk by using some of the following simple tricks;
Medical News Today suggested that you can burn an additional 90-126 calories in 30 minutes by incorporating weight training into your exercise routine (7). Depending on individual factors, vigorous activity incorporating weights could burn around 180-252 calories in 30 minutes. You don’t need to carry weights with you on your walk and can simply schedule in some additional strength training workouts after your walk or on a separate day. pack some books in a backpack you will carry with you to burn more calories.
Walking on the same level ground can be dull. Instead, you can increase your calorie burn by adding uneven surfaces or uphill sections to your walking route. Stanford University researched how inclines increase calorie burns at different gradients (13). Calories burned with a 5% incline increased by 17%, and the total increased by an impressive 32% with a 10% incline.
Research from Colorado showed how individuals who accumulated at least 10,000 steps per day, and increased their intensity/pace for at least 3,500 of those steps displayed greater weight loss results dt (12). The pattern of how individuals changed from under to over 3 METs every ten minutes was found to work well. Harvard demonstrated how walking slowly burns less than 3 METs while walking at 4 mph burns 3-6 METs (10). You could walk for 10 minutes at 3 mph and the next 10 minutes at 4 mph, constantly changing between them for 30-60 minutes.
Mindful walking is a way of turning a dull daily routine into something that becomes a habit (2). Following a mundane routine is one way of quickly reducing your calories burned. However, turning your walking habit into a daily mindful experience keeps you hooked on continuing to burn calories. At the same time, it can promote a better mood with good slumber.
Australian research found cadence audio cues to help stroke patients walk faster (18). Individuals also took greater strides while walking and listening to musical notes that consisted of beats relating to cadence. Listen to your favorite tunes while you navigate your daily walk through the park to feel the grass or hike up a mountain to burn more calories.
The benefits of walking barefoot on grass will make you consider what some believe to be a fad (4). The feeling of your bare feet on grass can improve circulation and heart health while also reducing inflammation. Earthing also has the potential to lower the impact of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which can help you practice the walking habit daily without feeling sore from inflammation.
Harvard suggested that hiking uses 6+ METs as a vigorous physical activity (10). This makes sense as hiking often requires the navigation of uneven surfaces while climbing and carrying excess weight in a backpack. It is the ultimate way to kick up the walking habit, particularly if you enjoy nature and the wild.
Read more: Calories Burned Walking 2 Miles: A Key to Weight Loss?
Losing 10 pounds in a month requires a consistent calorie deficit. The Mayo Clinic suggested a general guide for sustainable weight loss is to cut 500 calories each day in order to shed a pound every week (8). Maintaining a calorie deficit over time will be the most effective method to achieving your weight loss goals. (17). The higher your calorie deficit, the more weight you could potentially lose every month. However, it’s important to make sure you still consume enough to meet your basic daily needs (BMR).
Running burns 500 calories much faster than walking. Let’s compare a 32-year-old man who weighs 160 pounds and is 5’9” tall for running and walking. The man could burn 502 calories when walking at 3 mph for 120 minutes (17), but he could burn 512 calories when running at 7 mph for 39 minutes (14).
Running burns more calories than walking and cycling. Let’s take a 30-year-old woman who weighs 150 pounds and is 5’5” tall and compare the calories each exercise burns per hour (14, 17, 5). In addition, each exercise is at the slowest possible pace for a proper comparison.
| Exercise | Pace | Duration | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running | 4 mph | 60 minutes | 365 |
| Walking | 2 mph | 60 minutes | 170 |
| Bicycling | 5.5 mph | 60 minutes | 213 |
Research from Colorado proved how walking 10,000 steps a day while following a restrictive calorie diet helped individuals lose weight (12). Changing the pace of the daily steps further helped individuals lose weight successfully.
Depending on height, weight, and pace, individuals require varying step totals to burn 500 calories. The steps-to-calorie calculator that uses the metabolic equivalent measures to determine how many calories you burn shows the following steps are required to burn 500 calories (15):
| Weight | Height | Pace | Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 lbs | 5’5” | 3 mph | 14,113 |
| 154 lbs | 5’6” | 2 mph | 11,366 |
| 160 lbs | 5’9” | 4 mph | 11,655 |
| 165 lbs | 6’1” | 3 mph | 11,424 |
Harvard stated that moderate-intensity physical activity for 30-60 minutes daily can help l burn belly fat (1). Harvard also categorized moderate-intensity walks as those at 4 mph or faster (10). Brisk walking, strength training, and an adequate diet that incorporates whole grains, vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and healthy fats can further enhance and support a reduction in belly fat.
The total calories burned when walking for one hour is dependent on many factors, but there are simple methods for calculating your personalized calories burned. Alternatively, you can use the calorie walking calculator with METs and BMR to ensure accurate results. Ultimately, you should start walking, choose your pace, and set your goals according to how many calories you wish to burn.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!