How many calories burned in 5000 steps

Created by Joanna Michałowska, PhD candidate

Reviewed by Dominik Czernia, PhD candidate, Jack Bowater and Łucja Zaborowska, MD, PhD candidate

Based on research by

“Predicting walking METs and energy expenditure from speed or accelerometry.“ Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (July 2005)

Last updated: Jul 21, 2022

The steps to calories calculator helps you to estimate the total amount of calories burned while walking. Have you ever wondered how many calories does 10,000 steps burn? Check our tool to find out!

If you don't know the exact amount of steps you're taking, check the calories burned walking or calories burned calculators.

Health benefits of walking

If we want to get out the bed in the morning, we will have to walk to our next location. Walking is an activity so easy to engage in that we can all do it without thinking, and it is associated with many health benefits:

• increase in our cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness levels;
• prevention of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer;
• stronger bones;
• improved balance;
• reduction in excess body fat;
• increase of muscle power and endurance; and
• mood improvement.

Steps to calories burned

Walking doesn't require any equipment; it can be done almost anywhere, at any time of day. But how many calories do we burn while walking?

The energy you burn while walking depends on many factors, including:

• the number of steps (or distance);
• your weight;
• your height; and
• your pace.

Steps to calories calculator

Our steps to calories calculator uses a formula that takes into account the factors mentioned in the previous paragraph. That's why we need the following information:

• your weight - the heavier you are, the more calories you burn while walking;
• your height - it's needed to assess your stride length, and therefore calculate the distance you covered;
• the number of steps taken; and
• your pace - the faster you walk, the faster your heart beats and the more calories you burn.

How many calories does 10000 steps burn?

A lot of experts recommend 10,000 steps per day - let's find out how our steps to calories calculator works using this example!

1. First, we need to enter a height and weight. Let's assume that our exemplary person weighs 70 kg (154 lb), and is 183 cm (6 ft) tall (don't worry - you can easily switch between SI and imperial units using our tool!);
2. Let's enter the number of steps - 10,000; and
3. We need to choose the pace - let's choose an average pace of 3 miles/hour (4.8 km/h).

Results:
This person burns 404 kcal every 10,000 steps!

Calories per step

We estimate that the average person (someone who weighs approx. 70 kg or 160 lb) burns 0.04 kcal per step. As mentioned before, the energy expenditure depends on your height, weight, and pace, so this value might be different for you. If you are interested in how many calories you burn per step, hit the Advanced mode button 😉

How can you increase your number of daily steps?

Implement the following tips to increase your number of daily steps (you will be surprised with the results!):

• walk to the local shops instead of driving;
• try to walk to work (for at least part of the way) - you can get off the bus one or two stops earlier or walk one way and use public transport on the way back;
• use the stairs instead of escalators and lifts whenever you can;
• take your dog on more frequent and longer walks;
• walk instead of sitting when you talk over the phone with someone; and
• measure the number of steps you take - research shows that people using pedometers walk more.

Joanna Michałowska, PhD candidate

🏃🏃 3 miles/hour (4.8 km/h)

Calories burnedCalories burned by heart rateElliptical calorie… 5 more

No doubt, walking is a great physical activity that aids in weight loss and  provides  multiple health benefits. It is probbly the easiest way to burn calories since it can be performed everywhere.

However, the question remains: how many steps should you walk to lose weight? Are 5,000 steps enough? Or do the number of steps have to be increased?

Come and learn whether it is possible to lose weight by walking 5,000 steps a day or not in this read.

1. How Does Walking Cause Weight Loss?

Many people think that walking is not as effective as other weight loss exercises. However, it’s not true. Walking can actually play a significant role in reducing weight. 

But the amount of weight you lose depends on the number of steps and the pace at which you walk.

“To  lose weight, you must walk enough to burn more calories than you intake. ”

If your walking steps and speed are enough to achieve this, you will lose weight over time.

2. Number of Calories Burned by Walking

An average person weighing 160 pounds can burn 40 calories per 1,000 steps.

According to the American Council on Exercise, an average person can burn around 3,500 calories per week by walking 10,000 steps.

However, the number of calories burned from walking depends on many factors such as:

• Bodyweight
• Speed of walking
• Nutrition

Generally, the more you walk at high speed and the healthier you eat, the more weight you will lose.

3. Can Walking 5000 Steps a Day result in Weight Loss?

Yes, walking 5000 steps a day can indeed  help with  weight loss. Walking even 2,500 steps a day will result in weight loss.

Although 5,000 steps are considered less active compared to 10,000 steps, it can still create the calorie deficit required to achieve weight loss. You will definitely burn the fat, but at a slower pace.

• Walking 5,000 steps a day can help you lose half a pound per week.
• Walking 10,000 steps can help you lose one pound per week.

4. Calories Burned with 5000 Steps

The number of calories burned may vary depending on factors such as gender, weight, height, speed of walking, etc.

On average, a male weighing 70 kg can burn about 210 calories by walking 5,000 steps in 30 minutes.

Calories Burned by Step Count and Weight (2400 steps per mile, Height 5’5 and under)

Calories Burned by Step Count and Weight (2200 steps per mile, Height 5’6 TO 5’11)

5. Why 5,000 Steps is Better than 10,000?

A study conducted in 2011 revealed that healthy adults can easily take between 4,000-18,000 steps per day. Walking 5,000 steps a day is a more realistic goal compared to 10,000 steps.

Although walking 10,000 steps a day is considered a magic number for getting fit, it may not be enough  to cause weight loss if  you are not walking fast enough.

“The more steps you walk at high speed, the more calories you burn.”

People who set 10,000 steps as a target goal will often walk at a lower intensity to reach their goal. However, people who set a lower target goal, i.e. 5000 steps a day mostly do it at a higher intensity.

Ideally, walking at moderate to high intensity works better in burning fat and improving overall health.

6. Time Required to Complete 5000 Steps

Generally one mile takes 15-20 minutes to complete and includes 2,000 steps. Hence, completing 5,000 steps roughly requires 45 minutes to complete.

You can cover 100 steps per minute if you are walking at a moderate or higher intensity. In this way, you could cover 1,000 steps in just 10 minutes.

It has been found that a person briskly walking only for 30 minutes can burn 100 to 200 calories depending on the body weight. And a 30 – 45 minute brisk walk roughly equals 3,000 - 5,000 steps.

7. How to Burn More Fat With 5000 Steps

The following steps can help you burn fat effectively even with only 5,000 steps.

7.1. Find Intensity by Calculating Heart Rate

If you want to burn more calories with 5000 steps a day, it’s important to calculate your heart rate first to find the appropriate walking speed. It will help you know whether the  intensity of your pace is high enough to reach the fat-burning  zone or not.

According to a study, losing weight requires you to work at 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

• To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
• Another easy way is to use a heart monitor with an activity

7.2. Work on Resistance Training Alongside

To encourage  weight loss through walking, it is important to work on strength and resistance training as well. However, this does not necessarily require working out at  a gym and lifting heavy weights.

This  can be done  at home by practicing  burpees, push-ups or squats, etc. Such training can help improve your metabolic rate and burn more calories in less time.

“Studies have shown that doing both aerobic and resistance training together result in better glucose stabilization in diabetic people compared to doing both of them alone.”

• Try doing resistance training at least twice a week to achieve better results.

7.3. Focus on Nutrition:

Eating responsibly combined with walking is essential for losing weight.  Walking only  leads to weight loss if  you eat healthily. So, make sure to consume  the proper number of calories as it can affect whether you will be able to safely create a calorie deficit or not.

Taking even one high-calorie  meal can cancel out the number of calories you have burned from walking. Hence, limit intake of food  rich in fats and carbohydrates. Instead, consume a greater percentage of whole grains and plant-based  food.

8. How to Complete 5000 Steps a Day

8.1. Do Shorter Walks

Instead of doing one long walk to complete 5,000 steps, try doing 2-3 shorter walks a day. It will help you complete your daily target without being exhausted. Try walking 1,000 steps after every 1-2 hours.

8.2. Involve Walking in Your Daily Tasks

Including  slight variations in your daily lifestyle can help you walk more each day. Start with making small changes such as:

• Take stairs instead of elevator
• Walk while talking on the phone
• Take evening strolls to the grocery stores
• Try to walk to your workplace etc.

8.3. Stay Committed:

Don’t get distracted by anything and stick to your routine. Consistency is the key to reaching any goal.

8.4. Use Pedometer:

Always keep a pedometer with you to keep a track of your steps. It helps to know where you stand and how much more you need to walk to meet your daily target.

9. Takeaways

Walking 5,000 steps a day can help you reduce weight, but make sure to adopt the right intensity and healthy diet to achieve better results. Moreover, decide the required number of steps depending on your target goal and how much weight you want to lose in how much time. If your goal is to shed extra pounds over a longer duration , then 5,000 steps a day is a good target to follow. However, if you need to burn more calories in a short time, go for 10,000 steps at least.

Is 5000 steps a day good for weight loss?

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