What Is the Calories Burned Walking Calculator?
This tool estimates how many calories you burn while walking. It uses the widely accepted MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method, which links the intensity of an activity to your body weight and the time you spend doing it. Walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, and knowing your energy expenditure helps with weight management, fitness goals, and meal planning.
How to Use It
Enter your body weight in kilograms, the number of minutes you walked, and select the pace that best matches your effort. The calculator returns total calories burned (kcal) plus a breakdown of calories per minute and the equivalent per-hour rate at that pace. Choose a higher-intensity option (brisk, power walk, or uphill hiking) when your walk was faster or more demanding.
The Formula Explained
The calculation is: $$\text{kcal} = \frac{\text{MET} \times 3.5 \times \text{kg}}{200} \times \text{minutes}$$. The MET value represents how many times more energy an activity uses compared with sitting still (1 MET). The constant 3.5 is the baseline oxygen consumption in ml/kg/min, and dividing by 200 converts oxygen use into kilocalories. Common walking METs range from about 2.8 (slow stroll) to 6.3 (uphill hiking).
Worked Example
A 70 kg person walks at a brisk pace (MET 4.3) for 30 minutes: $$4.3 \times 3.5 \times 70 \div 200 \times 30 = 158.025 \text{ kcal}$$ That works out to about \(5.27\) kcal per minute, or roughly \(316\) kcal per hour at that pace.
FAQ
Is this number exact? No — MET values are population averages. Actual burn varies with fitness, terrain, age, and metabolism, so treat the result as a good estimate.
Should I subtract resting calories? The MET method includes baseline metabolism. To find calories burned above rest, subtract roughly 1 MET worth (your resting rate) from the result.
Can I use pounds? This tool uses kilograms. Convert pounds to kilograms by dividing by \(2.205\) before entering your weight.
