# How do I convert steps to calories?

Turns a step count into calories burned walking, from step length, walking speed and body weight, with the ACSM walking equation, plus the distance and time.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/health/steps-to-calories
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/health/steps-to-calories.json
- Version: bf7138a05060

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Steps 10,000, Weight 160 lb, Step length 31.68 in, Walking speed 3 mph): 10,000 steps at 160 lb burn about 419 calories over 5 miles.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| steps | Steps | The number of steps walked. |
| weight | Weight | Your body weight. |
| len | Step length | The distance from one heel to the next. 31.68 in is 2,000 steps a mile; measure yours by walking 10 steps and dividing the distance by 10. |
| speed | Walking speed | Your usual walking speed on level ground, from 1.9 to 3.7 mph (the range of the ACSM equation). |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| calories | Calories burned | Total kilocalories burned on the walk, including what the body burns at rest. |
| net | Above resting | Kilocalories from walking alone: 0.1 mL of oxygen per kg per metre × 5 kcal per litre. |
| per1000 | Calories per 1,000 steps | Calories burned ÷ steps × 1,000. |
| miles | Distance (miles) | Steps × step length, in miles. |
| km | Distance (km) | Steps × step length, in kilometres. |
| minutes | Walking time (minutes) | Distance ÷ walking speed. |

## Method

Distance = steps × step length; minutes = distance ÷ speed; VO2 = 0.1 × speed (m/min) + 3.5 mL/kg/min (ACSM walking equation, level ground); calories = VO2 × weight (kg) × minutes ÷ 1,000 × 5.

## Assumptions

- Level ground. The ACSM walking equation fits speeds from 1.9 to 3.7 mph; a hill adds 1.8 × speed × grade, which this page leaves out.
- A litre of oxygen is 5 kilocalories, and the resting cost is 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute (1 MET).
- The default step length, 31.68 in, is 2,000 steps a mile (Bassett and others, 2010). Your own step length gives a better answer.
- The answer is an estimate for an average adult, not a measurement, and not medical advice.

## Worked examples

1. steps = 10,000, weight = 72.574779, len = 0.804672, speed = 1.34112 gives calories = 419.000327, net = 291.994464, per1000 = 41.900033, miles = 5, km = 8.04672, minutes = 100. Source: Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions: ACSM walking equation VO2 = 0.1 × speed + 1.8 × speed × grade + 3.5 (mL/kg/min, speed in m/min, 1.9 to 3.7 mph); 1 L O₂ = 5 kcal, https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/; Bassett DR Jr and others. Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in US adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010;42(10):1819–1825 (2,000 steps is about one mile), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2927728/.
2. steps = 5,000, weight = 70, len = 0.7, speed = 1.388889 gives calories = 173.95, net = 122.5, per1000 = 34.79, km = 3.5, minutes = 42. Source: Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions: ACSM walking equation VO2 = 0.1 × speed + 1.8 × speed × grade + 3.5 (mL/kg/min, speed in m/min, 1.9 to 3.7 mph); 1 L O₂ = 5 kcal, https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/.
3. steps = 2,000, weight = 90.718474, len = 0.804672, speed = 0.89408 gives calories = 120.625815, net = 72.998616, miles = 1, minutes = 30. Source: Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions: ACSM walking equation VO2 = 0.1 × speed + 1.8 × speed × grade + 3.5 (mL/kg/min, speed in m/min, 1.9 to 3.7 mph); 1 L O₂ = 5 kcal, https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/; Bassett DR Jr and others. Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in US adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010;42(10):1819–1825 (2,000 steps is about one mile), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2927728/.

## FAQ

### How many calories do 10,000 steps burn?

For a 160 lb person with a 31.68 in step (2,000 steps a mile) walking at 3 mph, 10,000 steps is 5 miles in 100 minutes and burns about 419 calories, of which 292 come from the walking itself.

### How many steps are in a mile?

About 2,000 for an average adult (Bassett and others, 2010), which is a step of 31.68 in. Taller people and faster walkers take longer steps and fewer per mile.

### How do I measure my step length?

Walk 10 normal steps on a flat surface, measure from the start to the heel of your last step, and divide by 10. Or walk a known distance, such as a 400 m track lap, and divide it by your steps.

### Why does speed change the calories?

The calories from walking depend on the distance (0.1 mL of oxygen per kg per metre). The resting part, 3.5 mL per kg per minute, depends on the time, so a slower walk over the same steps adds a little more.

### What does “above resting” mean?

The calories from walking alone. Your body would burn the rest in the same minutes sitting still. Some apps and watches show only this part.

### Does walking uphill count?

Not here. The page assumes level ground. Hills add a lot: the ACSM equation adds 1.8 × speed × grade. Use the treadmill calorie calculator for an incline.

## Sources

- Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions: ACSM walking equation VO2 (mL/kg/min) = 0.1 × speed + 1.8 × speed × grade + 3.5, speed in m/min, for 1.9 to 3.7 mph; 1 MET = 3.5 mL/kg/min; L/min × 5 = kcal/min. https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
- Bassett DR Jr, Wyatt HR, Thompson H, Peters JC, Hill JO. Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in United States adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2010;42(10):1819–1825 (walking 2,000 steps is about one mile). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2927728/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
- NIST Special Publication 811, Appendix B (1 in = 0.0254 m, 1 mile = 1,609.344 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, exactly). https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811 (retrieved 2026-10-02)