Walking is an excellent workout for burning calories; I exercise a minimum of 30 minutes daily.
Before, I wondered, “How many calories do I burn walking a mile?” You could also have the same doubt as I did. We are coming to that point soon in this article.
Doctors and numerous studies extol the numerous health benefits of walking. It is the most convenient, easy, and enjoyable exercise that appeals to everyone.
It is comfortable and easy to do without needing special equipment or area; it can be done in the rooms or along the corridor.
Health Benefits of Walking
In a study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, data from 33,060 runners and 15,045 walkers were compared, and it was found that walkers got more health benefits than runners.
The study results reveal that walking reduces the risk of heart disease by 9.3%, while running reduces it by 4.5%. It was also found that high cholesterol risk was lowered by 4.3% by running and 7% by walking.
Running produces better results for weight loss. However, fat loss results from walking can be equated with running by increasing the intensity and duration of walking.
In the study published last year in The Journal of Obesity, it was found that ten committed female walkers and nine female runners (treadmill) had different hunger levels after their regular exercise schedule.
The walkers turned out to be hungrier as they had burned more calories than the runner, who had an hour-long treadmill stroll.
Walking provides all the health benefits that come from running or jogging. However, regular walkers do not suffer from joint-related health issues, unlike joggers and runners.
Regular walking helps you burn calories and improves fitness levels, but it also helps to reduce belly fat, lower blood pressure, and improve healthy cholesterol levels.
How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking?
If you are wondering how many calories you burn walking a mile, it is hard to answer your question.
The calories burned walking directly depend on your walk’s intensity, duration, and frequency. If you are walking a very long distance at high speed, you will burn more calories than if you are walking at a slow speed.
Calories per mile burned while walking depend on the following factors:
- Walking pace (slow, medium, or high speed)
- Body weight and pace (larger people burn more calories)
- The intensity of walking (speed variations alter calorie-burning rate)
- The style and posture of walking
- Stretches, swings and other body moves you make while walking
- Foods you have eaten 2 hours period before the walk
Among the factors mentioned above, the speed of walking and the person’s body weight are the two crucial factors that make a difference in the number of calories burned walking a mile.
People with a higher body weight require more energy to carry their body weight while walking. For example, a 185-lb person who walks 30 minutes at 3.5 mph burns about 175 calories, whereas a 125-lb person who does the same burns about 125 calories.
The chart below shows how many calories are burned walking for an hour based on the person’s body weight and the speed at which they walk a mile per hour.
| Activity (1 hour) | 130 lb | 155 lb | 180 lb | 205 lb |
| Walking, under 2.0 mph, very slow | 118 | 141 | 163 | 186 |
| Walking 2.0 mph, slow | 148 | 176 | 204 | 233 |
| Walking 2.5 mph | 177 | 211 | 245 | 279 |
| Walking 3.0 mph, moderate | 195 | 232 | 270 | 307 |
| Walking 3.5 mph, brisk pace | 224 | 267 | 311 | 354 |
| Walking 3.5 mph, uphill | 354 | 422 | 490 | 558 |
| Walking 4.0 mph, very brisk | 295 | 352 | 409 | 465 |
| Walking 4.5 mph | 372 | 443 | 515 | 586 |
| Walking 5.0 mph | 472 | 563 | 654 | 745 |
| Moderate Walk/Play with children | 236 | 281 | 327 | 372 |
| Fast Walk/Play with children | 295 | 352 | 409 | 465 |
| Walking downstairs | 177 | 211 | 245 | 279 |
| Walking using crutches | 295 | 352 | 409 | 465 |
| Walking the dog | 177 | 211 | 245 | 279 |
| Walk with Pet Animals | 236 | 281 | 327 | 372 |
| Walking, pushing a wheelchair | 236 | 281 | 327 | 372 |
You can burn approximately 600 calories by walking 8km at a time, especially at a speed walking uphill.
The results of burning calories while walking depend on your weight, pace, and the distance you walk.
How many steps per day to lose weight? Walking 10,000 steps is equivalent to about 4.5 to 5 miles per day, which can result in approximately 425 calories burned for a 120-pound person.
To determine exactly how many calories you are burning, use the calorie calculator at keisan.casio.com.
Methods to Increase “Walking Calories Burned”
You can increase the number of calories burned while walking by increasing the speed or distance.
For example, if you walk 2 miles daily, walking at a speed of 4 mph will burn more calories than walking at 2 mph. However, if you walk 4 miles per day at 2 mph, you will burn the same calories as if you walked 2 miles at 4 mph.
One of the study results presented by a fitness scientist at Washington University in St. Louis recommended walking at a speed of about 4.5 miles per hour (fast walking workout) for maximum calorie burning; at this speed, a 140-pound woman can burn 201 calories per 30 minutes. A 140-pound woman jogging at a speed of 4.5 miles per hour burns 223 calories per 30 minutes.
According to the number of calories burned, there is little difference between a brisk walk and jogging. If that is so, doing a fast-paced walk is easy and more beneficial to your health than jogging.
Using various walking styles, let’s look at how many calories you burn by walking 1 mile.
Non-Strenuous Walking
A 130-pound woman walking at a slow speed, such as when walking a dog, burns 60 to 70 calories in 30 minutes; a 200-pound woman could burn up to 100 calories by doing the same.
Strenuous Walking
A 130-pound woman doing a fast walk at a speed of 3.5 mph burns up to 90 calories in 30 minutes; a 200-pound woman will burn up to 120 calories in 30 minutes by doing the same as the former. A fast-paced walk or cross-country hiking at a speed of 4.5 mph (a little short of running) can burn double the number of calories for both groups.
High Resistance Walking
There are plenty of ways to increase the calories burned while walking by adding resistance to your movements. You can increase the resistance of your walk by using wrist, ankle, or waistbands with added weights. According to the American Council on Exercise, using 1- to 3-lb wrist weights while walking increases the heartbeat by 5 to 10 per minute, increasing calorie burning by up to 15 percent. If you opt for a high-resistance walk, keep the wrist or ankle weight bands below 3 lbs. to avoid injury and muscle strain.
Tips and Techniques for Healthy Walking
Doing the walk correctly is essential for optimum calorie burning and weight loss.
Even the casual stroll you make in a shopping center, or the garden can easily be turned into a muscle-toning, fat-blasting stride. Here are a few effective techniques for healthy walking:
Use the Right Kind Of Walk Wear
Use walking shoes that are light, roomy, and flexible. Avoid wearing too stiff and tight shoes, or you’ll be battling tingling toes and achy joints after a few minutes of walking. Use the right hiking shorts, pants, and tops that give enough room for free movements and stretching.
Stepping Rightly
Make sure to distinguish brisk walks from long strides, which are less efficient and more tiring. An ideal brisk walk for calorie burning should consist of quick heel-toe steps. While making the quick-step strides, make sure to land on your heels and propel yourself forward by springing off your toes.
Holding Head High
While walking, do not hang your head down, facing your foot or the immediate path before you. Keep your chin up and look 10 feet ahead of your steps.
Swing Your Fists
Do not let your arms hang loosely by your sides while walking. Bundle up your fingers into relaxed fists, bend the elbows at a 90-degree angle, and swing the fists from your waist to your chest and back to the waist. Swinging your arms makes your upper body stronger and helps burn more calories.
Contract Your Abs
When you take the strides, you contract and release your abdominal muscles inward and outward in rhythmic alignment with your strides. It tones your stomach and supports your spine.
Exercise Your Butt Muscles
It is the butt muscles that give power to your strides. While walking, try to hold your buttock muscles taut and contracted; this will firm up your buttocks by burning off the excess fat.
Use Speed Variations
It would help if you didn’t start with a brisk walk at the gate. First, warm up your body by walking slowly for the first five minutes; the next five minutes should be at a medium pace. After you’ve completed the first 10 minutes of the walk for body warming, you can begin with a fast walk and continue for as much time or distance as you’ve planned to cover. The last 5 to 10 minutes of the walk should be done slowly to allow the body to relax and cool down naturally.
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