Estimate the calories you burn from a step count. Your height sets your stride and your weight sets the energy cost, so the estimate is personal. Free, private, and runs entirely in your browser.
Stride is estimated as 41.4% of your height, which gives the distance walked. Walking on level ground costs roughly 0.5 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per kilometer, so calories equal 0.5 × weight × distance.
How many calories is 10,000 steps? For a 70 kg person about 170 cm tall, about 246 kcal. Heavier people burn more, since moving more mass costs more energy.
Is this the total or the extra calories? It is the extra energy of walking, above what you would burn at rest over the same time.
A person weighing 70 kg and 170 cm tall walks 10,000 steps. Stride = 170 × 0.414 = 70.38 cm, so the distance is 7.038 km (4.37 miles). Calories = 0.5 × 70 × 7.038 ≈ 246 kcal, or about 25 kcal per 1,000 steps.
Why do heavier people burn more? Energy cost grows with the mass you carry, so each kilometer costs more for a heavier person.
Does speed matter? Somewhat. Faster walking costs more per minute, but the energy per kilometer changes less than many people expect.
Formulas for the energy cost of walking come from exercise physiology, where researchers measure oxygen use on treadmills. The American College of Sports Medicine publishes walking equations that fitness professionals still use, and they underlie the simple rule of about half a kilocalorie per kilogram per kilometer. Consumer step counters and watches build on these equations, and many combine steps with heart rate to refine the estimate.
Use this calculator to see what a daily step goal is worth in energy terms, or to compare a short walk with a long one. A 60 kg person who is 160 cm tall walking 6,000 steps covers about 3.97 km and burns about 119 kcal. Use it as a planning estimate rather than a precise count.
How many steps burn 100 calories? For a 70 kg person with a 70 cm stride, roughly 4,000 steps, since 100 kcal ÷ (0.5 × 70) is about 2.9 km.
Can I lose weight by walking? Walking adds to your energy balance, but weight change depends on total intake and activity over weeks, not on any single walk.