How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking a Mile? (Calculator)
The calories you burn walking a mile are about 86 calories for an adult weighing 70 kg (≈155 lb). This assumes a normal walking pace of about 3 mph, taking roughly 20 minutes to cover the mile. The figure refers to the extra energy used above resting.
Calories per mile rise or fall in proportion to body weight. Walking faster or slower than a normal pace usually increases calorie use slightly.
Use this calculator to estimate calories burned for your own weight and walking style.
Calories Per Mile at Different Body Weights
Body weight matters more than most people expect. Heavy people use more calories to walk the same mile (1.61 km) as lighter people.
How many calories do you burn walking a mile at 200 pounds?
A 200 lb adult burns about 111 calories walking one mile at a normal pace. Because calorie use rises in proportion with body weight, a heavier adult burns more energy to cover the same distance.
How many calories do you burn walking a mile at 300 pounds?
A 300 lb adult burns about 167 calories walking one mile at a normal pace. Because 300 lb is a large body weight, the energy required to move that mass over a mile is much higher than for a lighter adult. Calorie use per mile rises almost directly with body weight.
Methodology
We calculated calorie estimates using metabolic equivalent (MET) values from the Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Our example figures are based on a 70 kg (≈155 lb) adult, and the calculator scales results directly with body weight.
The Compendium reports walking activities as speed ranges rather than exact speeds. To model specific situations such as a 20-minute mile or a slow stroll, we selected realistic points within those ranges and adjusted the MET values slightly to match the chosen pace.
These figures are intended to give practical, real-world estimates for comparison between walking styles and body weights, not laboratory-precision measurements.
Calories Burned When You Walk Faster or Slower
Most people walk close to a natural pace without thinking about it. The reason we do it is because of efficiency. Walking normally conserves energy.
How many calories do you burn walking a mile in 20 minutes?
Walking a mile in about 20 minutes corresponds to a normal walking pace of roughly 3 mph. A 70 kg (155 lb) adult burns about 86 calories walking a mile at this speed.
An early laboratory study by H. J. Ralston (1958) measured oxygen consumption while adults walked at controlled speeds and found that energy used per distance is lowest at about 74 meters per minute. That equals roughly 2.76 mph, very close to a 20-minute mile pace (3 mph). Humans naturally settle near this speed because it minimises energy used to cover a distance, which is why a normal walking pace is treated as the baseline in this calculator.
How many calories do you burn walking a mile in 30 minutes?
Walking a mile in about 30 minutes is a slower pace near 2 mph. A 70 kg (155 lb) adult burns about 90 calories for the mile.
This slightly higher value at slower speeds surprises many people. Walking has a natural efficient pace near a comfortable walking speed. When you move slower or faster than that, the energy required per distance rises slightly.
How many calories do you burn walking an hour?
At a normal walking pace of about 3 mph, you cover roughly 3 miles in one hour. A 70 kg (155 lb) adult therefore burns about 260 calories in that hour.
A 200 lb adult burns about 330 calories for the same hour of walking, and a 300 lb adult burns about 500 calories. The difference is mainly body weight — you are moving your mass over about three miles of distance.
Steps in a Mile
A commonly used average is about 2,000 steps per mile, though stride length causes variation. Taller people usually take fewer steps, while shorter strides mean more steps for the same distance.
Using the baseline 70 kg adult, about 86 calories per mile works out to roughly 40–45 calories per 1,000 steps. Heavier adults burn more per step because each step moves more body mass.
Situations that Change Calorie Burn
Real walking is rarely perfectly steady, and the way you walk affects energy consumption.
Walking the dog
Walking the dog often burns more calories per mile than a steady walk. Although your overall speed is slower, the movement is less efficient.
A 70 kg (155 lb) adult uses about 141 calories to cover a mile while walking a dog. You repeatedly stop and start, hold the dog back, adjust the leash, and change direction.
Terrain
Walking on sand, grass, or uneven ground increases calorie use compared with a flat hard surface. Your muscles must stabilise the body and push off a less stable surface.
For a 70 kg (155 lb) adult, a normal mile uses about 86 calories, but walking the same mile on sand or uneven ground rises to about 105 calories.
Walking backwards
Walking backwards uses more energy than normal walking over the same distance because the movement is unfamiliar and requires more balance control.
For a 70 kg (155 lb) adult, a mile of backwards walking uses about 120 calories compared with about 86 calories for a normal walk.