Walking Calorie Calculator
A 155 lb person walking for 30 minutes at 3 mph burns about 129 calories. This walking calorie calculator estimates the calories you burn from your weight, walking speed, and time on your feet. It uses MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the same reference researchers use, so a brisk 4.5 mph walk scores exactly twice the burn rate of a slow 2.5 mph stroll.
Quick answer
Calories burned depend on three things, your body weight, your walking speed, and how long you walk.
Calories burned
129 calories
Calories per hour
258
Distance (miles)
1.5
MET value
3.5
What this tells you
- •Calories burned depend on three things, your body weight, your walking speed, and how long you walk.
- •Each speed has a MET value, a multiple of resting energy use. Walking at 3 mph is 3.5 METs, meaning 3.5 times the calories you burn sitting still.
- •The formula is calories per minute = MET x 3.5 x weight in kg / 200.
- •Heavier people burn more calories at the same speed because moving more mass takes more energy.
How to Use
- 1Enter your body weight and pick pounds or kilograms.
- 2Enter how many minutes you walked or plan to walk.
- 3Choose your walking speed. If you are not sure, 3 mph is a typical comfortable pace.
- 4Read the total calories burned, plus the hourly burn rate and estimated distance.
How It Works
Formula
calories per minute = MET x 3.5 x weight (kg) / 200MET stands for metabolic equivalent of task. Sitting quietly is 1 MET, and each walking speed has a measured MET value, from 2.8 at 2 mph up to 7.0 at 4.5 mph. Multiply the MET by 3.5, then by your weight in kilograms, and divide by 200 to get calories per minute. Multiply by your walking time for the total. For example, a 70 kg person at 3.5 METs burns 4.3 calories a minute, so a 30 minute walk burns about 129 calories.
Calculation note: values are processed in the order shown above, using the current input units.
Worked Examples
30 minute walk at 3 mph, 155 lb person
155 lb is 70.3 kg. At 3.5 METs, that is 4.3 calories a minute, times 30 minutes.
1 hour brisk walk at 4 mph, 180 lb person
180 lb is 81.6 kg. At 5.0 METs, the burn rate is about 7.1 calories a minute for 60 minutes.
45 minute stroll at 2.5 mph, 70 kg person
At 3.0 METs, a 70 kg person burns about 3.7 calories a minute, times 45 minutes.
Calories Burned Walking 30 Minutes by Speed
Estimated calories for a 155 lb (70.3 kg) person walking 30 minutes.
| Speed | MET | Calories in 30 min |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 mph (slow) | 2.8 | 103 |
| 2.5 mph (easy) | 3.0 | 111 |
| 3.0 mph (moderate) | 3.5 | 129 |
| 3.5 mph (brisk) | 4.3 | 159 |
| 4.0 mph (fast) | 5.0 | 185 |
| 4.5 mph (very fast) | 7.0 | 258 |
Common mistakes
- Using minutes of clock time instead of actual walking time. Stops at crossings or window shopping do not burn walking calories.
- Assuming distance alone sets the burn. Two people covering 2 miles burn different amounts if their weights differ.
- Comparing against fitness tracker numbers as if both were exact. Trackers estimate too, and wrist-based estimates often run high.