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Calories Burned Walking for Women (and Men Too!)

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Walking is probably the very best exercise — the human body was made for it. But did you know that women burn more calories walking than men? Your weight and speed also make a difference. See the charts for women and for men to get YOUR calorie burn.

How Many Calories Are You Burning on Your Walk?

Your calorie burn depends on many things. Obviously, the faster you walk, the more calories you’ll burn. If you weigh more, you’ll also burn more calories. And women will burn more calories than men. The charts below show the calorie burn for various speeds and types or walking.

Note that there is one chart for women and one for men. Your height and age also affect the calories you burn. The charts use an average height of 5 feet 9 inches (176 cm) for men and 5 feet 4 inches (162 cm) for women. If you’re taller or older, you’ll burn slightly more. If you are shorter or younger, you’ll burn slightly fewer calories.

Calories Burned Walking (For Women)(based on body weight for a 60 minute walk)
Walking Speed/Activity
(60 Minute Walk)		 Calories Burned
125 lbs
(57 kg)		 140 lbs
(64 kg)		 160 lbs
(73 kg)		 180 lbs
(82 kg)		 200 lbs
(91 kg)		 220 lbs
(100 kg)
* Calories based on an age of 35 and a height of 5 feet 4 inches (162 cm)
* Based on MET values from the “2011 Compendium of Physical Activities”, adjusted using the Harris Benedict equation for estimated RMR.
References and Sources
walking, less than 2.0 mph, level, strolling, very slow 121 145 179 214 250 287
walking, 2.0 mph, level, slow pace, firm surface 170 203 250 299 350 402
walking, 2.5 mph, level, firm surface 182 218 268 321 375 431
walking, 2.5 mph, downhill 200 240 295 353 413 474
walking, 2.8 to 3.2 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface 213 254 313 374 438 503
walking, 3.5 mph, level, brisk, firm surface, walking for exercise 261 312 384 459 538 618
walking, 2.9 to 3.5 mph, uphill, 1 to 5% grade 322 385 474 566 663 762
walking, 2.9 to 3.5 mph, uphill, 6% to 15% grade 486 581 715 855 1,000 1,150
walking, 4.0 mph, level, firm surface, very brisk pace 304 363 447 534 625 719
walking, 4.5 mph, level, firm surface, very, very brisk 425 509 625 748 875 1,006
walking, 5.0 mph, level, firm surface 504 603 742 887 1,038 1,193
walking, 5.0 mph, uphill, 3% grade 595 712 876 1,047 1,225 1,409
walking, grass track 292 349 429 513 600 690
walking, normal pace, plowed field or sand 273 327 402 481 563 647
walking, for exercise, 3.5 to 4 mph, with ski poles, Nordic walking, level, moderate pace 292 349 429 513 600 690
walking, for exercise, 5.0 mph, with ski poles, Nordic walking, level, fast pace 577 690 849 1,015 1,188 1,366
walking, for exercise, with ski poles, Nordic walking, uphill 413 494 608 727 850 977
walking, backwards, 3.5 mph, level 364 436 536 641 750 862
walking, backwards, 3.5 mph, uphill, 5% grade 486 581 715 855 1,000 1,150
race walking 395 472 581 694 813 934
pushing or pulling stroller with child or walking with children, 2.5 to 3.1 mph 243 291 357 427 500 575
pushing a wheelchair, non-occupational 231 276 340 406 475 546
walking, to work or class 243 291 357 427 500 575
walking, for pleasure, work break 213 254 313 374 438 503
walking the dog 182 218 268 321 375 431
Calories Burned Walking (For Men)(based on body weight for a 60 minute walk)
Walking Speed/Activity
(60 Minute Walk)		 Calories Burned
125 lbs
(57 kg)		 140 lbs
(64 kg)		 160 lbs
(73 kg)		 180 lbs
(82 kg)		 200 lbs
(91 kg)		 220 lbs
(100 kg)
* Calories based on an age of 35 and a height of 5 feet 9 inches (162 cm)
* Based on MET values from the “2011 Compendium of Physical Activities”, adjusted using the Harris Benedict equation for estimated RMR.
References and Sources
walking, less than 2.0 mph, level, strolling, very slow 109 128 155 183 212 241
walking, 2.0 mph, level, slow pace, firm surface 152 179 217 256 296 337
walking for pleasure (Taylor Code 010) 190 224 272 320 370 421
walking from house to car or bus, from car or bus to go places, from car or bus to and from the worksite 136 160 194 229 265 301
walking to neighbor’s house or family’s house for social reasons 136 160 194 229 265 301
walking, 2.5 mph, level, firm surface 163 192 233 275 317 361
walking, 2.5 mph, downhill 179 212 256 302 349 397
walking, 2.8 to 3.2 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface 190 224 272 320 370 421
walking, 3.5 mph, level, brisk, firm surface, walking for exercise 234 276 334 394 455 518
walking, 2.9 to 3.5 mph, uphill, 1 to 5% grade 288 340 411 485 561 638
walking, 2.9 to 3.5 mph, uphill, 6% to 15% grade 434 513 621 732 847 963
walking, 4.0 mph, level, firm surface, very brisk pace 272 320 388 458 529 602
walking, 4.5 mph, level, firm surface, very, very brisk 380 449 543 641 741 843
walking, 5.0 mph, level, firm surface 451 532 644 760 878 999
walking, 5.0 mph, uphill, 3% grade 532 628 761 897 1,037 1,180
walking, grass track 261 308 373 439 508 578
walking, normal pace, plowed field or sand 244 288 349 412 476 542
walking, for exercise, 3.5 to 4 mph, with ski poles, Nordic walking, level, moderate pace 261 308 373 439 508 578
walking, for exercise, 5.0 mph, with ski poles, Nordic walking, level, fast pace 516 609 737 870 1,005 1,144
walking, for exercise, with ski poles, Nordic walking, uphill 369 436 528 623 720 819
walking, backwards, 3.5 mph, level 326 385 466 549 635 722
walking, backwards, 3.5 mph, uphill, 5% grade 434 513 621 732 847 963
race walking 353 417 504 595 688 783
pushing or pulling stroller with child or walking with children, 2.5 to 3.1 mph 217 256 310 366 423 482
pushing a wheelchair, non-occupational 206 244 295 348 402 457
walking, to work or class 217 256 310 366 423 482
walking, for pleasure, work break 190 224 272 320 370 421
walking the dog 163 192 233 275 317 361
Calories Burned Walking

Your body is made for walking. Regular walks will boost your health and help you burn some calories. How many? That depends on how far you walk AND on your gender and weight.

Health Benefits of Walking

In her book The First 20 Minutes, New York Times Phys Ed columnist Gretchen Reynolds points out that the human body was designed for walking. So it’s no surprise that walking is one of the healthiest activities you can do. It’s low-impact and safe for most people, and you can walk almost anywhere at any time. And walking has a relatively low likelihood of injury compared to other forms of exercise.

Studies have shown all kinds of health benefits from walking. Regular walking will lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol, raise your good (HDL) cholesterol, and lower your blood pressure. It will also cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. In fact, researchers in the U.K. found that you can increase your lifespan by 20% if you walk for 30 minutes four or five times a week!

Maximize Your Calorie Burn While Walking

Want to get the most benefits out of your walk? Try to find some hills. You actually burn more calories walking downhill than you do walking on level ground. And, of course, you burn even more calories walking uphill. If you walk on a modest incline, you’ll boost your calorie burn by almost 25%. And naturally, the faster you walk the more calories you’ll burn.

How about other ways to boost the calories you burn on your walk? Do you have children or grandchildren? If so, pushing a child in a stroller will burn at least 30 extra calories per hour. (Although it’s good for the kids to get some exercise, too!)

Want to really get a workout? Try walking backwards. You’ll boost your calorie burn by almost 30% or more. (But be careful!)

How about you? Do like walking for exercise? What’s your favorite place to walk? Do you have any advice for people just starting? Let us know by using the comments below.

References & Sources: (show)(hide)

    • Reynolds, Gretchen.
    • The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can: Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer.
    • New York: Hudson Street Press.
    • 2012.
    • McDowell, Margaret A., et al.
    • National Health Statistics Report: Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, 2003–2006.
    • Number 10: 13-6.
    • National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control Prevention. United States Department of Health and Human Services.
    • Washington: GPO.
    • 22 Oct 2008.

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Comments Add Your Own Comment

  1. Donna Lussier says:

    I am trying to figure out how many calories I burn walking down and back up my driveway, it’s about 200 feet each way, and approx 7% grade coming back up. I’m walking at a normal pace. Thanks if you can give me any numbers on this.

    Reply
    • Editor says:

      Donna, it’s hard to get an exact number for this. But for a rough estimate, you could use the calorie numbers for “walking, 2.8 to 3.2 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface.” Since you are walking down a 7% grade and then back up the exact same 7% grade, you can use the numbers for a level surface. The actual number will depend on your weight, so you’ll have to calculate it yourself. Here’s how:

      Time yourself on the walk. Then look at the table above for women “walking, 2.8 to 3.2 mph, level, moderate pace, firm surface.” Pick the number closest to your weight. That’s the number of calories you burn in 60 minutes. Divide that number by 60 and multiply it by the number of minutes you actually walk. That’s a rough estimate of your calorie burn.

      For example, if you weigh 140 lbs you would burn about 254 calories per hour. If it takes you 10 minutes to walk down and back up the driveway, you would burn roughly (254 / 60) * 10 = 42 calories.

      Reply

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