Weight loss: How many calories can walking 10,000 steps burn?

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01/9Weight loss: How many calories can walking 10,000 steps burn?

How many of you think that hitting the 10K mark on your fitness band is enough to maintain your health? Well, most of us.

The idea of walking 10,000 steps per day originated in 1965 when a Japanese company developed a pedometer called ‘Manpo-Kei’, which means ‘10,000 steps meter’.

The goal became a famous one because it was easy to remember and way beyond the daily steps for most people. The best part about the 10,000 steps goal is that it’s challenging but achievable at the same time. But is walking 10,000 steps a day enough? It totally depends on your goals. Here in this article, we will delve into how many calories can 10,000 steps help you burn and can it help you lose weight.

02/9Calories burned by 10,000 steps

Most people burn around 30-40 calories per 1,000 steps, which means they will burn around 300-400 calories by walking 10,000 steps. But this is just an estimate. Though every step you take burns calories, the exact amount is highly individualised.

The calories burned depends on your weight, height, fitness level, pace and the area you are walking in.

03/9Exercising is important

Exercising regularly is important to maintain a healthy body weight. As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, people must aim to achieve 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week, which can include walking too. The other recommendation for this is walking 10,000 steps a day.

To get a more accurate measurement of the calories burned by walking 10,000 steps, experts recommend using a measurement called metabolic equivalent (METs). One MET is the amount of energy used when we sit still.

Brisk walking at just over 3 miles in an hour is around 3.5 METs while walking uphill is about 6 METs.

04/9MET or other activities

Sedentary—Uses 1.5 or fewer METs. Examples include sitting, reclining, or lying down.

Light intensity—Uses from 1.6-3.0 METs. Examples include walking at a leisurely pace or standing in line at the store.

Moderate intensity—Uses from 3.0-6.0 METs. Examples include walking briskly, vacuuming, or raking leaves.

Vigorous-intensity—Uses from 6.0+ METs. Examples are walking very quickly, running, taking an aerobics class, or shoveling snow.

05/9Calories burned with METs

Formula: Energy expenditure (in kcal/min) = 0.0175 x MET x weight (in kg)

So, if a person weighing 68 kilograms walks on a flat surface at a pace of 3 mph, using around 3.5 METs, he would burn around 4 calories per minute, which means 400 calories per hour.

People nowadays use smartwatches and different apps to calculate their steps and calories burned, but it’s always better to cross-check the number with the equation given above.

06/9Can walking 10,000 steps a day help you reach your weight loss goals?

The first step to losing weight is creating a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume. Most people need a calorie deficit of around 500 calories per day to lose half a kilo per week. Thus, people aiming to lose weight should exercise for at least 150-200 minutes per week and walk 10,000 steps per day to achieve their weight loss goals.

07/9The study

According to a 2018 study, people who walked 10,000 steps a day lost more weight than people who walked 3500 steps per day.

08/9Walking 10,000 steps

Walking is one of the safest and easiest exercises. But if you are someone who does not do any exercise, starting with 10,000 a day can be difficult.

It’s best to stay as active as possible before trying to achieve the target of 10,000 steps per day. Elderly and overweight people should gradually increase their steps, aiming for extra 1,000 steps per day each week until they reach their goals.

On the other hand, when people constantly achieve their goal of walking 10,000 steps per day, they should swap walking activity with a higher MET, like jogging or swimming to burn more calories.

The best benefit of taking more steps per day is it can also reduce mortality from any cause.

09/9Verdict

Walking 10,000 steps was just a market slogan and not science-backed. As per studies, more movement, which can be measured by more steps or any other physical activity is important for good health. Overall, adopting a healthy lifestyle and staying active every day is the best way to lose weight healthily.