Walking Calorie Calculator

Estimate how many calories you burn walking from your body weight, walking speed, and time, using the standard MET (metabolic equivalent) formula.

Quick Facts

Method
MET formula: kcal = MET × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200 per minute
MET rises with walking speed (2.8 at 2 mph up to ~7 at 4.5 mph), based on the Compendium of Physical Activities.

Your Results

Calculated
Calories burned
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Total kcal for this walk
Estimated MET
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Metabolic equivalent at this speed
Burn rate
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Calories per minute
Distance covered
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At this speed and time

Ready

Enter your weight, walking speed, and time, then calculate.

How the walking calorie calculation works

This calculator estimates the energy you burn walking using the MET (metabolic equivalent of task) method, the same approach used in exercise physiology and public-health research. The core formula is:

Calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight (kg) ÷ 200

Multiply that per-minute rate by your walking time to get the total. One MET equals resting oxygen consumption, roughly 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, and burning one liter of oxygen releases about 5 kilocalories — those two constants are what produce the "3.5" and "200" in the equation.

Why walking speed matters

The MET value is not fixed; it rises as you walk faster because faster walking demands more oxygen. This tool interpolates MET from your speed using reference values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities:

  • 2.0 mph (slow stroll) — MET 2.8
  • 2.5 mph — MET 3.0
  • 3.0 mph (moderate) — MET 3.5
  • 3.5 mph (brisk) — MET 4.3
  • 4.0 mph (fast) — MET 5.0
  • 4.5 mph (very brisk / near race-walk) — MET 7.0

Common reference points

For a 70 kg (154 lb) walker: a 30-minute brisk walk at 3.5 mph burns about 158 kcal; a full hour at a moderate 3.0 mph burns about 257 kcal; and a fast 4.0 mph hour burns about 368 kcal. A lighter 55 kg walker burns proportionally less — roughly 124 kcal for that same 30-minute brisk walk — because the energy cost scales directly with body mass.

Why body weight is in the formula

Walking is weight-bearing, so the calorie cost is proportional to how much mass you move. Double the body weight and you double the calories burned over the same walk. This is why two people walking side by side at the same pace can burn very different amounts, and why weighted vests or a heavy backpack increase the burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate calories burned walking?
Calories per minute equal MET × 3.5 × your body weight in kilograms ÷ 200. MET (metabolic equivalent) depends on walking speed — about 2.8 at 2 mph and up to 5.0 at 4 mph. Multiply the per-minute figure by how many minutes you walked to get the total. If you know your weight in pounds, convert to kilograms by dividing by 2.2046.
How many calories does a 30-minute walk burn?
For a 70 kg (154 lb) person walking a brisk 3.5 mph, a 30-minute walk burns about 158 kcal (MET 4.3 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 30). A slower 2.5 mph stroll burns closer to 110 kcal, while a fast 4.0 mph pace burns about 184 kcal over the same half hour.
Does walking uphill burn more calories?
Yes, substantially. This calculator assumes level ground. Walking up a moderate 5–10% grade can roughly double the MET value at a given speed, and stair climbing is higher still. If your route has significant hills, expect the real burn to exceed the flat-ground estimate by 20–60% depending on grade.
Is the MET estimate the same as "net" calories?
No. The MET formula gives gross energy expenditure — it includes the calories you would have burned at rest anyway. To get the extra calories attributable to the walk (net), subtract about 1 MET's worth of resting expenditure. For most planning and weight-management purposes, the gross figure this tool reports is the standard number people use.

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