How many calories do 1,000 steps burn?

The short answer

About 42 calories per 1,000 steps, for an adult of average height who weighs 70 kg (154 lb). It ranges from about 33 at 55 kg (121 lb) to about 60 at 100 kg (220 lb). A thousand steps is about 700 m, or just under half a mile, and about 8 to 9 minutes of walking at a normal pace.

Calories per 1,000 steps, by body weight

Body weight	Calories per 1,000 steps
55 kg (121 lb)	about 33 kcal
70 kg (154 lb)	about 42 kcal
85 kg (187 lb)	about 51 kcal
100 kg (220 lb)	about 60 kcal

For an adult of average height, about 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in), walking at about 5 km/h (3.1 mph) on level ground, from a model of walking energy built on height, weight and speed. Taller people take longer steps, so each of their steps covers more ground and costs a little more, but height changes the figure far less than weight does.

Totals by step count

Steps	55 kg (121 lb)	70 kg (154 lb)	85 kg (187 lb)	100 kg (220 lb)
2,000	about 70	about 80	about 100	about 120
3,000	about 100	about 130	about 150	about 180
4,000	about 130	about 170	about 200	about 240
5,000	about 160	about 210	about 250	about 300
6,000	about 200	about 250	about 300	about 360
7,000	about 230	about 290	about 350	about 420
8,000	about 260	about 330	about 410	about 480
10,000	about 330	about 420	about 510	about 600
12,000	about 390	about 500	about 610	about 720
15,000	about 490	about 630	about 760	about 890
16,000	about 520	about 670	about 810	about 950
20,000	about 660	about 840	about 1,010	about 1,190
30,000	about 980	about 1,250	about 1,520	about 1,790

Each step count links to its own page, with the walking speed comparison and what that number means in the step research.

Why your watch may show less

These are total calories, including what your body burns anyway just by being alive. Apple Watch counts only the calories on top of that in its Move ring, so for 1,000 steps at 70 kg it shows about 31 instead of 42.

Your own number

The walking calories calculator takes your weight, your height and your steps and does the sum for you.

A reason to walk today

Most of us know we should walk more and still skip it, because “go for a walk” has no finish line. reTrek gives you one: pick a famous route, like the Camino de Santiago or the Inca Trail, and every walk moves you further along it, with a short film about the place waiting at each milestone. Instead of fitting in a walk for its own sake, you walk to reach the next milestone.

Everest Base Camp is free. Get reTrek.