A decade ago, no one had a specific number in mind for how many steps they should take in a day. These days, however, the cardinal rule is to hit 10,000 steps per day, whether you exercise or not. You may be wondering how many calories 10,000 steps burn or exactly how beneficial it is to your body. Walking more, in general, has positive health benefits. Studies have shown that walking more can improve heart health, personal growth, weight maintenance and other variables that contribute to a healthy body.
How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn?
Why 10,000?
There are a few reasons why 10,000 steps is the universal magic number. Aside from being a round number that is easy to remember, 10,000 steps is about 5 miles, with 100 calories burned per mile.
To achieve fat loss, you must burn more calories than you eat, causing a caloric deficit. A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, and with a 500 calorie deficit per day, about a pound of weight will be lost each week.
People claim that walking 10,000 steps throughout the day can burn 3,500 calories each week. However, this claim is a rough estimate and applies only to a few people with certain body types and habits.
Diet
Eating calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods can bring weight back on quickly, undoing all the work of walking. It is important to focus on a diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods and low in calories to keep your body properly fueled for more exercise without replacing the calories burned.
Distance
Keeping track of 10,000 steps while walking is impractical without a pedometer. If you do not have a pedometer, you can track your distance and figure out your stride length to make an educated guess on the number of steps you have taken.
Quality Over Quantity
10,000 steps per day does not fit everyone. This may be too many steps for someone who is just starting out with walking or incorporating a new fitness routine into their life. If you do use a pedometer, use it for the first couple of days to see how many steps you currently average, and bump up your goal from there. Continue setting your goal in small increments to keep improving.
Another idea is to forgo the pedometer and set a goal to speed-walk for 30 minutes each day, gradually increasing the time and distance you walk.
The estimate of 3,500 extra calories burned per week with 10,000 steps per day varies widely across people. Weight, height, diet, speed, and incline will all affect how calories are burned. In order to get a better idea of how many calories 10,000 steps burn for you, get a heart rate monitor to track how hard your body is working.
