Step Up Your Fitness Game - How Many Steps to Burn 500 Calories?

Step by step, we enter a realm where the simplicity of walking becomes a gateway to profound transformation.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging in today's fast-paced and sedentary work environment. However, incorporating simple steps and tracking calorie consumption can greatly improve your overall physical and mental well-being.

This blog welcomes you to the great sphere where the rhythm of your feet meets the world of calories.

What are calories?

It is indisputable that calories are discussed everywhere, from product labels to restaurant menus, recipe websites, and food monitoring apps. You might wonder why calories are given all the hype after hearing so much about them.

So what are calories, and how do they function? You may be aware of this term but unsure about how much you should take in each day.

The unit used to measure energy is the calorie. One calorie is the energy required to raise one gram of water temperature by one degree Celsius.

Just like a teaspoon or an inch is a measurement, so are calories. Calories are the energy your body uses during food digestion and absorption. Food might provide your body with extra energy if it has more calories.

Your body stores extra calories as body fat when you consume more calories than you need. Even foods without fat have a lot of calories. Almost everything we eat contains calories, which originate from three different sources: carbs, proteins, and fats.

Calories from Macronutrients per Gram:

Carbohydrates: 4 calories
Protein: 4 calories
Fats: 9 calories

Suggested Read: Everything You Need To Know About Calories Burned While Walking

How Many Steps to Burn 500 Calories?

The number of calories you burn when walking can vary based on how far and quickly you walk. You will burn more calories by moving more slowly and over longer distances. According to a general guideline, a person would expend around 100 calories for every mile (or 2,000 steps) they walked.

Specialized pedometers track not just your overall number of steps but also your caloric intake. Setting them to determine the number of steps daily and multiplying the result by 2,000 will yield the 24-hour calorie consumption. This can help folks understand how much activity they get daily.

The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume. This is an overwhelming task. You should expect to lose roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) every week if you increase your physical activity to the point that you burn an additional 500 calories per day.

If you reduce your calorie intake by 500 daily, your weekly loss will double. Jogging, yard work, and playing with your kids are just a few activities that can help you burn 500 calories.

The secret to success is choosing workouts that you regularly enjoy doing. Since walking requires no special equipment, it may be done anywhere. But how many calories do we burn when we walk?

Numerous variables affect how much energy you use when walking. Such as -

• Number of steps (or distance)
• Weight
• Height
• Pace

Calculating calories per step

An individual who weighs about 70 kg or 160 lb is estimated to burn 0.04 kcal for every step. You may experience varying energy expenditure depending on your height, weight, and rate of movement.

Energy expenditure (in kcal/min) = 0.0175 x MET (Metabolic Equivalent) x weight (in kg)

Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Therefore, a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms) who moves at a pace of 3 mph while consuming roughly 3.5 METs would burn about 4 calories per minute. The individual would burn around 400 calories if he walks for 100 minutes at a speed of 3 miles per hour (10,000 steps or 5 miles).

The best way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn. For most people, losing 1 pound per week requires a calorie deficit of roughly 500 per day. Walking 10,000 steps per day can assist people in reaching their fitness objectives of losing weight or maintaining weight loss. This should be done for at least 150 to 200 minutes per week.

Suggested Read: How Many Steps in a Mile? Transform Your Health with the Right Steps

Chart showing the number of steps to burn 500 calories for Men

Weight	Walking speed	Steps
50 kg (110 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	16,157
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	15,511
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	12,464
55 kg (121 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	14,688
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	14,101
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	11,331
60 kg (132 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	13,464
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	12,926
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	10,387
65 kg (143 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	12,429
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	11,932
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	9,588
70 kg (154 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	11,541
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	11,079
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	8,903
75 kg (165 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	10,772
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	10,341
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	8,309
80 kg (176 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	10,098
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	9,694
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	7,790
85 kg (187 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	9,504
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	9,124
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	7,332
90 kg (198 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	8,976
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	8,617
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	6,925
95 kg (209 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	8,504
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	8,164
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	6,560
100 kg (220 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	8,079
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	7,755
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	6,232

Chart showing the number of steps to burn 500 calories for Women

Weight	Walking speed	Steps
50 kg (110 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	19,350
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	18,576
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	14,927
55 kg (121 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	17,591
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	16,888
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	13,570
60 kg (132 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	16,125
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	15,480
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	12,440
65 kg (143 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	14,885
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	14,290
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	11,483
70 kg (154 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	13,822
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	13,269
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	10,662
75 kg (165 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	12,900
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	12,384
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	9,952
80 kg (176 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	12,094
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	11,610
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	9,330
85 kg (187 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	11,383
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	10,927
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	8,781
90 kg (198 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	10,750
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	10,320
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	8,293
95 kg (209 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	10,184
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	9,777
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	7,857
100 kg (220 lb.)	2.5 mph (4 km/h)	9,675
	4 mph (6.4 km/h)	9,288
	4.5 mph (7.2 km/h)	7,464

Thus, it generally takes 13,000–16,000 steps to burn 500 calories (kcal). The above range is based on average-weight men taking 13,250 steps and average-weight females taking 15,750 steps daily. Your weight, speed, gender, and age will all affect how many steps you take.

Suggested Read: Does Standing Burn Calories?

How to walk off extra pounds?

If you've thought about everything above and still want to use walking to help you lose weight, here is some advice -

1. Try different terrains

If you're serious about using walking as a major weight-loss method, it is recommended to try different terrains. Anything from road and beach excursions to cross-country and uphill walks.

This is challenging because the uneven ground activates muscles in your core, hips, ankles, and knees. To engage your heart, lungs, and entire body more, you can also amp it up by walking up a few hills or an elevation.

2. A brisk walk is best

Running is a fantastic way to burn calories, whether outside or on a treadmill. 500 calories can be burned while running at a pace of 6 miles per hour (9.7 kilometers per hour) or 10 minutes for every 1 mile (1.6 kilometers).

3. Mixing things up can be beneficial

Speed walking is fantastic, but you can mix it up with a slower pace and longer sessions. Make sure your muscles work as you move to get a full-body workout.

Ensure you have good posture, with your glutes engaged and your neck and back in a neutral position. This indicates that your skeletal and muscular systems are working hard.

4. A 500-Calorie Walking Workout On a Treadmill

If you have access to a treadmill at home or the gym, you can complete the following exercise. You can perform this outside if you don't have a treadmill. Consider the following:

• To get the blood flowing to your muscles and allow your heart rate to gradually climb, begin with a warmup of 5 minutes at 2 mph on a 0 incline level.
• Once you feel warmed up, increase your speed or incline your treadmill by a few degrees to maintain a challenging but not exhausting pace.
• Try alternating between 5 minutes or more of leisurely strolling and 1 minute of vigorous walking, mild running, or a steeper inclination.
• To complete your workout, reduce your speed and incline by one degree every minute until your heart rate is nearly normal.

If you're wondering how to use a treadmill to burn the most calories and want to make this workout more difficult, you can walk or run faster and extend the time you walk at an inclination. Consider using a fitness tracker or another activity monitor to keep track of your speed.

Are you looking for a fitness tracker? We have the best solution!

Our in-house corporate fitness app, Vantage Fit, is the perfect tool for tracking your daily activity levels and steps. Whether you're striving to meet a specific step goal or just want to be active and live a healthy lifestyle, this platform gives you a straightforward and practical way to track your progress.

The built-in pedometer accurately records how many steps you take throughout the day. It also provides additional features such as a calorie counter, mood-o-meter, heart rate monitor, health challenges, and rewards. Because of these characteristics, Vantage Fit is a popular choice among employees and a great addition to corporate wellness initiatives.

5. Climbing the stairs burns 500 calories in 30 minutes

Many of us are unaware that walking the stairs can result in a greater calorie burn than using the lift. Running up the stairs has numerous health advantages but also makes you feel younger, stronger, and slimmer. Additionally, it's a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and get your daily workout done!

We want to look our best in our new outfits for the festival season, but we probably didn't follow a rigid diet or exercise routine for months beforehand. Fortunately, you can do several quick exercises to burn up to 500 calories in 30 minutes. You can attain this goal by running up the stairs! Taking the stairs is a quick, simple, and cost-free way to burn 500 calories in 30 minutes.

How to Walk Off 500 Calories?

Body weight and walking speed are two variables that affect how many calories you burn while walking or engaging in any other activity. According to the Mayo Clinic, a bigger body requires more energy than a lighter one. Thus, a heavier person will generally burn more calories during the same workout than an average person.

Walking is one of the best exercises, which can be done anywhere, at any time, and without special equipment. Here are some pointers on how to walk properly if you want to maximize your results and burn more calories each day:

• Maintain appropriate posture when you walk by keeping your back straight and your head in line with your spine.
• Relax your shoulders.
• Avoid leaning too much forward or back.
• With each step you take, swing both arms in unison.
• Maintain your attention on the straight ahead. Buying a pedometer will enable you to keep track of how many steps you take daily.
• Increase your speed while walking at a moderate pace to burn more calories.
• Try interval training, which involves switching between rapid and slow walks.
• Avoid having a blood sugar dip by eating too soon before going for a stroll.
• When walking, concentrate on your form. Avoid slouching and holding things in your hands, which might cause you to lose focus on maintaining good posture.
• To get the best results, maintain a healthy diet. Walking is a wonderful option if you're trying to lose weight but don't want to buy pricey equipment or go to the gym. You can lose weight quickly if you adopt the proper posture, diet, and attention to your form at home or on the commute.

Here are some examples -

125-Pound Person

If you weigh 125 pounds, it will take you 111 minutes at a 4 mph speed to burn 500 calories. Walking for 125 minutes at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour would burn 500 calories. The more you weigh, the more calories you'll burn by doing the same exercise as someone who weighs less.

155-Pound Person

You will burn 500 calories if you walk for 90 minutes at a pace of 4 miles per hour while 155 pounds, or for roughly 100 minutes at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour. You can burn the same in 81 minutes by increasing your walking speed to 4.5 miles per hour.

However, Harvard Health Publications advises people who are overweight to limit their calorie intake when trying to lose weight because doing so could damage their health and well-being by slowing down their metabolism.

185-Pound Person

If you weigh 185 pounds, walking at a pace of 4 miles per hour will burn 500 calories in 75 minutes, and walking at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour will burn the same amount of calories in 85 minutes.

One strategy to increase physical activity is to go for a daily walk, which can also aid in breaking unhealthy eating habits. Additionally, even just 10 minutes of daily walking can positively affect one's health, such as weight loss, enhanced mental health, and a lower risk of disease or injury.

Suggested Read: Try NEAT Exercises To Burn Your Calories Faster

4 simple strategies to increase your daily steps

Below are some tried-and-true advice to keep you active -

1. Increase your water intake

Set a timer to remind you to get up and refill your glass every hour while working. Even though you are merely going to the kitchen, there is still movement.

Suggested Read: Water Challenge: A Step towards a Healthy Lifestyle

2. Implement a 'social stroll' rule

Have you ever found yourself slouching on the couch and browsing through Instagram pictures nonstop? I believe so. Instead, get up and move around until you’re done with your snooping session on social media.

3. Walk to Kill Time

Just walk it out while the kettle is boiling, during TV commercial breaks, or while waiting to use an occupied loo. Aim to climb stairs or ambling hallways.

4. Listen to a podcast

Walking can seem pointless if all you want to do is get out there and walk just for the sake of it. Put on an audiobook, podcast, or playlist about health and go for a walk for as long it lasts. It is an excellent and quick fix.

You can also put the following advice into practice -

• Try to walk to work for at least some distance. You can get off the bus one or two stops sooner or walk one way and take public transit on the return trip.
• Try to take the stairs rather than the escalators or lifts.
• While going to shop for groceries, walk instead of driving.
• If you have a dog, increase the duration of your dog's walk and do it regularly.
• When speaking on the phone, get up and move around rather than sitting. Track your steps. Studies have shown that using a wearable has been linked to increased walking.

Suggested Read: Step Tracker: Meaning, Mechanism, Accuracy, Advantages, FAQ

Takeaway

One of the best strategies to prevent numerous health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke, is to walk. Hence, this blog will help you quickly determine the ideal number of calories you should burn. Thanks to this practice, you'll eventually be able to lead a healthy, prosperous life.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1. Does the intensity of my walking affect the number of steps needed to burn 500 calories?

Yes, the intensity of your walking does impact the number of steps required to burn 500 calories. If you walk faster or incorporate inclines, you will burn more calories in a shorter duration, meaning you may need fewer steps to reach the 500-calorie mark.

2. Can a fitness tracker monitor the steps needed to burn 500 calories?

Absolutely! Fitness trackers are great tools for monitoring your steps and estimating calorie expenditure. Many devices provide a feature that estimates calories burned based on your step count and other factors, helping you track your progress toward the 500-calorie goal.

3. What are the benefits of increasing your daily steps?

• A cost-free form of exercise
• Low-impact
• You can do it anywhere
• Requires no extra equipment
• Increases cardiovascular health and fitness
• Promotes mental wellness
• Lowers the risk of contracting certain diseases

4. How long does it typically take to burn 500 calories through walking?

The time it takes to burn 500 calories through walking depends on weight, walking speed, and terrain. Achieving this calorie burn might take around 60-90 minutes of continuous brisk walking.

5. Can I combine walking with other exercises to reach the 500-calorie mark more quickly?

You can combine walking with other exercises to expedite the calorie-burning process. Activities like jogging, cycling, or aerobic workouts can increase your overall calorie expenditure, helping you reach the 500-calorie goal faster.