The Truth About 10,000 Steps
You likely aim for 10,000 steps a day, but did you know this number wasn't originally based on science? It comes from a 1965 Japanese marketing campaign for a pedometer called Manpo-kei, which literally translates to "10,000 steps meter."
That said, it is a great goal! Modern studies show that walking 7,000 to 8,000 steps daily significantly lowers all-cause mortality, while hitting 10,000+ helps significantly with calorie burning and weight management.
How We Calculate Your Burn
This calculator uses METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) to estimate energy expenditure.
- Sitting Still: 1 MET
- Walking (Slow): 2.5 METs
- Walking (Brisk): 3.5 METs
The formula combines your weight, the MET value of your pace, and the duration of your walk to find your total calorie burn. Heavier individuals burn more calories per step because it takes more energy to move more mass.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is stride length calculated? ▼
We use a standard heuristic: Height (cm) × 0.414. This is an average. Your actual stride length depends on your flexibility, leg length, and pace (you take longer steps when walking faster).
Is walking as good as running? ▼
For weight loss, yes—if you go the distance! Running burns calories faster (in less time), but walking a mile burns roughly the same amount of net calories as running a mile; it just takes longer to do it.