๐ฃ Steps to Calories Calculator
Enter your daily step count, weight, and stride length, and this tool calculates the distance you walked and an approximate number of calories burned. Handy for translating a step count from a pedometer or smartphone app into a sense of actual physical activity.
How to use
- Enter your daily step count.
- Enter your weight.
- Enter your stride length (distance covered per step) โ the distance walked and approximate calories burned are calculated automatically.
How the calculation works
This tool works out the distance walked from your steps and stride length, then estimates the calories burned by walking from your body weight. Distance (km) = steps ร stride length (m) รท 1000 Calories (kcal) = distance (km) ร weight (kg) ร 0.5 The 0.5 comes from the ACSM walking equation, in which walking on level ground needs 0.1 mL of oxygen per kg of body weight per metre on top of resting needs. One litre of oxygen yields about 5 kcal, so each kilometre costs 0.1 ร 1000 รท 1000 ร 5 = 0.5 kcal per kg. This is the extra energy walking uses; the baseline you would burn at rest anyway is not included. Across normal walking speeds on level ground, it stays roughly the same whatever the speed.
Worked example
8,000 steps, 0.75 m stride, 60 kg Distance: 8,000 ร 0.75 รท 1000 = 6.0 km Calories: 6.0 ร 60 ร 0.5 = 180 kcal 180 kcal is about 80% of a 150 g bowl of rice (about 230 kcal).
Things to be aware of
- A typical stride length is height (cm) ร 0.45. To measure yours, walk 10 steps, measure the distance and divide by 10.
- Walking uphill, on stairs or carrying loads burns more.
- Running uses about 1 kcal per kg per km, roughly twice walking. This tool is designed for walking.
FAQ
What's a typical stride length?
As a rough guideline, stride length (in meters) is often estimated as height (in cm) ร 0.45. The default value of 0.75m corresponds to someone roughly 165cm tall.
How are calories burned calculated?
Distance (km) ร weight (kg) ร 0.5. The 0.5 comes from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) walking equation and is the extra energy used walking on level ground, above resting (about 0.5 kcal per kg per km). Actual calories vary with walking speed, hills and individual metabolism.
Can this be used for running instead of walking?
No, this tool's simplified formula assumes normal walking. It won't give an accurate figure for running or other higher-intensity activities.