What this calculator does
It turns a step count, or a distance you walked or ran, into an estimate of the calories you burned. You need three things: how far you went, how fast, and what you weigh. Steps become distance through your step length. Pace sets how long you were moving. Weight and a MET value for that pace give the calories.
Use it when your phone counts steps but doesn't show calories, or when you want to check a tracker's number against a published method.
How it's calculated
step length (estimate) ≈ 0.42 × height
minutes = distance ÷ speed × 60
calories = MET × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200 × minutes
above resting = (MET − 1) × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200 × minutes
The MET values are from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, for level walking on a firm surface and for running. Each choice in the list shows its MET. The Compendium gives walking METs for speed bands, so the calculator uses one speed in each band to work out the time. One mile is 160,934.4 cm, and 1 lb is 0.45359237 kg.
Worked example
You take 10,000 steps with a measured step length of 30 inches, at about 3.0 mph (3.8 METs), and weigh 160 lb (72.57 kg).
- Distance: 10,000 × 30 in = 300,000 in ÷ 63,360 = 4.73 miles
- Time: 4.73 ÷ 3.0 × 60 = 94.7 minutes
- Calories: 3.8 × 3.5 × 72.57 ÷ 200 × 94.7 = about 457 calories
- Above resting: 2.8 × 3.5 × 72.57 ÷ 200 × 94.7 = about 337 calories
Steps to calories chart (walking)
Walking at 3.0 mph (3.8 METs) with a 30-inch step, which is 2,112 steps per mile. Your own numbers change with step length and pace.
| Steps | Miles | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 0.47 | 34 | 43 | 51 | 60 | 69 |
| 2,000 | 0.95 | 69 | 86 | 103 | 120 | 137 |
| 3,000 | 1.42 | 103 | 129 | 154 | 180 | 206 |
| 4,000 | 1.89 | 137 | 171 | 206 | 240 | 274 |
| 5,000 | 2.37 | 171 | 214 | 257 | 300 | 343 |
| 6,000 | 2.84 | 206 | 257 | 308 | 360 | 411 |
| 7,000 | 3.31 | 240 | 300 | 360 | 420 | 480 |
| 8,000 | 3.79 | 274 | 343 | 411 | 480 | 548 |
| 9,000 | 4.26 | 308 | 386 | 463 | 540 | 617 |
| 10,000 | 4.73 | 343 | 428 | 514 | 600 | 686 |
| 12,000 | 5.68 | 411 | 514 | 617 | 720 | 823 |
| 15,000 | 7.10 | 514 | 643 | 771 | 900 | 1,028 |
| 20,000 | 9.47 | 686 | 857 | 1,028 | 1,200 | 1,371 |
Calories per mile running
| Speed | MET | 120 lb | 150 lb | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 mph | 6.5 | 93 | 116 | 139 | 163 | 186 |
| 5 mph | 8.5 | 97 | 121 | 146 | 170 | 194 |
| 6 mph | 9.3 | 89 | 111 | 133 | 155 | 177 |
| 7 mph | 11 | 90 | 112 | 135 | 157 | 180 |
| 8 mph | 12 | 86 | 107 | 129 | 150 | 171 |
| 9 mph | 13 | 83 | 103 | 124 | 144 | 165 |
| 10 mph | 14.8 | 85 | 106 | 127 | 148 | 169 |
Per mile, running burns roughly the same at most speeds, because a faster pace has a higher MET but takes less time. Per hour, faster running burns far more.
Limitations
- Step length. The 42% rule is a shortcut. Barreira, Rowe and Kang (2010) tested it on 130 young adults and found it predicted 0.71 m per step on average, while measured steps averaged 0.78 m (r = .46). Measure your step if you can. The rule was tested on walking; running steps are longer.
- Gross calories. The main number includes what you'd burn at rest anyway (1 MET). That's why a slow walk can show more calories per mile than a brisk one: it takes longer. The "above resting" line removes that.
- Averages. MET values are averages for adults. Hills, terrain, fitness and body composition all change the real burn.
Sources
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci 2024;13(1):6–12.
- Compendium of Physical Activities: walking codes
- Compendium of Physical Activities: running codes
- Barreira TV, Rowe DA, Kang M. Parameters of walking and jogging in healthy young adults. International Journal of Exercise Science 2010;3(1):4–13. — the 42%-of-height rule tested against measured steps.