10000 Steps to Calories Calculator

This tool calculates the calories burned from walking 10,000 steps.

🚶If you’re 6 feet tall, weigh 70 kilograms and walking at an average pace, the number of calories burned is equal to 404 kcal.

Calculator

To use the calculator, enter

  • Your Height (in meters)
  • Your weight (in kilograms)
  • Walking Speed

The default number of steps is 10,000 but you can change it to any value.

How does this Calculation work?

Gather Required Information:

  • Weight: Your body weight in kilograms (kg).
  • Height: Your height in meters (m) to estimate stride length.
  • Number of Steps: Total steps taken during your activity (default value is 10,000)
  • Pace: Your walking speed, typically measured in meters per second (m/s). To keep it simple select one of three different options.
  • Calculate Stride Length:
    stride = height × 0.414
    This helps estimate how far you walk with each step.
  • Calculate Distance Walked:
    Multiply the number of steps by the stride length:
    distance = stride × steps
  • Calculate Walking Time:
    Determine how long you walked by dividing the distance by your walking speed:
    time = distance/speed
  • Determine MET Value:
    The Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) varies based on pace:
    • Slow pace (0.9 m/s): 2.8 MET
    • Average pace (1.34 m/s): 3.5 MET
    • Fast pace (1.79 m/s): 5 MET
  • Calculate Calories Burned:
    Calories} = time (min) × MET × 3.5 × weight (kg) × (1/200)

Example Calculation

For an individual weighing 65 kg, height = 1.75 m, walking 10,000 steps at an average pace. Calories burned = 359 kcal

General Guidelines

  • On average, a person burns approximately 0.04 to 0.05 calories per step, which means it typically takes between 2,000 and 2,500 steps to burn about 100 calories
  • For a daily goal of 10,000 steps, expect to burn around 350 to 500 calories, depending on individual factors like weight and pace.

Origins of the 10,000 Step Goal

The concept of walking 10,000 steps per day originated in Japan in the 1960s. A company named Yamasa Clock created a pedometer called “Manpo-kei,” which translates to “10,000 steps meter.” The 10,000-step target was promoted as a simple and memorable goal to encourage daily physical activity, and over time, it became a global standard for fitness.

Is 10,000 Steps Necessary for Everyone?

The 10,000-step goal can be a helpful target, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Some individuals may benefit from more or less activity, depending on their age, fitness level, and health goals:

  • Older Adults or those with limited mobility may set lower step goals that are more realistic and gradually increase as fitness improves.
  • Highly Active People may need more than 10,000 steps to challenge themselves and meet their fitness goals.

What’s most important is consistency. Even if you don’t hit 10,000 steps every day, increasing your step count beyond your typical baseline is beneficial.