Calories Burned Per Step Calculator

Work out calories burned per step instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Calories Burned Per Step Calculator

Walking costs about 0.53 kcal per kilogram per kilometre net of resting metabolism, so the cost per step follows from stride length. A 70 kg walker with a 0.75 m stride spends about 0.028 kcal per step, making 10,000 steps roughly 278 kcal over 7.5 km - close to the popular 300 kcal rule of thumb.

Formulas

Distance from steps

km = steps x stride length / 1000

Walking energy cost

kcal = km x 0.53 x weight(kg)

Worked example

With the default values below, Calories Burned Per Step Calculator returns Calories Per Step of 0.0278. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Body weightminimum 1 kg: 70 kg
Stride lengthminimum 0.1 m: 0.75 m
Number of stepsminimum 0: 10,000

Results

Calories Per Step: 0.0278 kcal
Calories For All Those Steps: 278 kcal
Distance Covered: 7.500 km
Calories Per Kilometre: 37.1 kcal/km

Step by step

1Values used
2Distance from steps
3Walking energy cost
4Calories Per Step= 0.0278 kcal
5Calories For All Those Steps= 278 kcal
6Distance Covered= 7.500 km
7Calories Per Kilometre= 37.1 kcal/km

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

This is an estimate from population-average equations, not a medical or diagnostic assessment. Individual results vary with genetics, training history and technique. Seek advice from a qualified coach or clinician before making significant changes to training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 'one calorie per step' claim right?

No - it is roughly 0.03 to 0.05 kcal per step for most adults. The confusion comes from mixing up calories and kilocalories.

Does walking faster burn more per step?

Barely per step, but considerably per minute. Cost per distance is nearly flat across normal walking speeds.