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How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn? (+ Hacks to Burn More)

How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn? (+ Hacks to Burn More)

Walking is excellent exercise. You can do it anywhere, and you don't need any special skills or equipment. Put one foot in front of the other, and you’re off! And the more you do it, the more calories you burn. So, if you’re looking to shed some weight, you might wonder, how many calories does 20,000 steps burn? This article will help you find exactly how many calories that is and look at some simple ways to boost that number even more. Whether you're gearing up for a challenge to increase your step count or want to lose weight, this article will help you meet your goals. But, How Are Calories Measured?

Cal AI's Calorie Tracker makes reaching your goals easier. Not only can it help you learn how many calories 20,000 steps burn, but it can also help you find simple, effective ways to burn even more so you can reach your weight loss goals even faster.

How Many Miles are 20000 Steps?

man going to work - How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn?

Walking 20000 steps a day can certainly sound like a lot, especially to beginners, but how many miles are 20000 steps?

How far you will walk if you walk 20000 steps a day depends on your step length or stride length, which can be thought of as the amount of ground you cover between each step (right foot to left foot) or each stride (the distance covered by one complete gait cycle, or right foot to proper foot landing again).

Factors Affecting Step Length & Distance

The longer your steps and strides, the further you will walk throughout 20000 steps. Step length depends on numerous factors, such as your:

Of these factors, height tends to be the most significant. Taller individuals have longer legs, which allows them to take longer steps or strides. You can determine your approximate step length by counting the steps you take over a certain distance or by wetting your feet and measuring the distance between your footprints.

Step Length & Distance for 20,000 Steps

Alternatively, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center reports that the average step length for women is approximately 26 inches, whereas the average step length for men is approximately 31 inches.

Because a mile equals 5,280 feet, we can determine that the average man takes 2,000 steps per mile, and the average woman takes about 2,437 steps per mile. Therefore, walking 20000 steps daily works out to walking 10 miles (16 km) for the average man and 8.2 miles (13.2 km) for the average woman.

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How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn?

person checking her weight - How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn?

Calorie burn depends on various factors. The first and most significant is your weight. The more you weigh, the more calories you burn walking. The second factor is walking speed. The faster you walk, the more calories you burn. Lastly, walking on an incline (uphill or on a treadmill) significantly increases calorie expenditure.

For example, a 185-pound person burns about 400 calories walking an hour on a flat surface at four mph. If they increase the incline to 5 percent, they burn about 600 calories simultaneously.

Calories Burned Walking 20,000 Steps

To find out how many calories walking 20,000 steps a day burns, you need to consider three factors:

2,000 steps equals approximately 1 mile (1.61 km), so walking 20,000 daily would mean walking 10 miles (16 km). An hour of walking at four mph (6.4 km/h) burns around 270 calories in a 125-pound person, 334 calories in a 155-pound person, and 400 calories in a 185-pound person.

The Caloric Burn of Walking 20,000 Steps a Day

Based on this information, it can be calculated that taking 20,000 steps a day with a walking speed of 4 mph will burn 675 calories in a 125-pound person, 835 calories in a 155-pound person, and 1,000 calories in a 185-pound person.

These numbers are impressive, and if you combine your 20,000-step-a-day weight loss plan with healthy nutrition and proper hydration, you can expect visible results in next to no time. You can use the calories burned calculator to calculate how many calories you require, how many you burn, and how many you should consume to reach the desired result.

Factors That Influence Calorie Burn

The best way to estimate the number of calories you burn walking 20,000 steps a day is to monitor your heart rate and use a fitness watch that records the distance and speed at which you walk. If you don’t have a heart rate monitor or GPS running watch, you can calculate the approximate number of calories you burn using the MET values for walking at different speeds and inclines.

Below, we’ve created a table that shows the calories burned while walking 20,000 steps at different paces and body weights based on the MET values for walking from the Compendium of Physical Activities. We used the average step length of 31 inches, so walking 20000 steps will total 10 miles.

For a person weighing 90 lbs (40.9 kg):

For 100 lbs (45.5 kg):

For 110 lbs (50 kg):

For 120 lbs (54.5 kg):

For 130 lbs (59.1 kg):

For 140 lbs (63.6 kg):

For 150 lbs (68.2 kg):

For 160 lbs (72.7 kg):

For 170 lbs (77.3 kg):

For 180 lbs (81.8 kg):

For 190 lbs (86.4 kg):

For 200 lbs (90.9 kg):

5 Tips for Walking 20000 Steps a Day

man on a hill - How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn

1. Consider a Weighted Vest to Boost Your Walking Workouts

When you walk 20,000 steps each day, you’ll develop excellent aerobic fitness, strong legs, lungs, and a strong heart. Consider wearing a weighted vest for part or all of the walk to make your walking workouts even more challenging.

Gradually increase the percentage of the time that you wear the vest. Your body will adapt, and you can begin to lose weight and improve your fitness level even more.

2. Train for an Event to Stay Motivated

Walking 20,000 steps daily builds a fantastic fitness base, allowing you to participate in many physical activities without becoming completely exhausted. One fun option is to train for an event.

For example, you can sign up to walk a 10k or half marathon, go hiking, or tour exciting destinations like the following:

Setting a big, exciting goal can make staying motivated during daily walks easier.

3. Vary Your Walks to Keep Things Interesting

To prevent boredom and fitness plateaus, add variety to your walking workouts by continually challenging and changing the stimulus on your body.

Walk on different terrains, such as grass, trails, roads, or the treadmill, and vary the incline and speed at which you walk. Consider adding intervals of brisk walking or steep hills to elevate your heart rate.

4. Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts to Make Time Fly

Walking 20,000 steps a day can take quite a bit of time, but you can multitask during your walking workouts by:

Consider calling a friend and talking on the phone, brainstorming for an upcoming work meeting, or allowing your creative juices to flow to get more than just your exercise done.

5. Take Your Nutrition Seriously to Fuel Your Walking Workouts

The table above demonstrates that walking 20,000 steps a day burns many calories. Therefore, feeding and hydrating your body like an athlete in training is essential. Focus on eating unprocessed, natural foods like:

Drink plenty of water, and carry water on your walks via a handheld water bottle or a hydration pack.

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Walking 20,000 Steps a Day and Not Losing Weight?

Many expect that walking 20,000 steps will result in significant weight loss, but this is not always the case. You may diligently follow a daily walking routine, yet the scale's number remains stubborn.

This frustrating experience may lead you to give up early on this otherwise healthy habit. Fret not, as there are ways of resolving this problem.

Review Your Diet for Hidden Weight Loss Obstacles

You may start by checking your daily diet and making some changes. You want to eat a balanced diet and create a calorie deficit to lose weight. Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help.

Fiber and protein are filling. Use the plate method by:

Add Weight to Your Walks to Boost Calorie Burn

You can also maximize your weight loss by adding weights when you walk. If you weigh more, you will burn more calories.

This will also help in strength training and ensure the pounds lost are not muscle mass. Weight belts, weighted vests, or weighted backpacks can be used for this.

Track Your Calories within Less Than 15 Seconds with Our Calorie Tracker App

Cal AI - How Many Calories Does 20,000 Steps Burn?

Calorie tracking can be tedious, especially if you do it manually. Fortunately, Cal AI is a revolutionary app that transforms calorie tracking with cutting-edge AI technology. Just snap a photo of your meal, and Cal AI does the rest. Cal AI combines your phone's depth sensor with advanced AI models to:

AI-Powered Nutrition

With 90 percent accuracy on visible foods and multiple tracking options, Cal AI makes nutrition tracking effortless. Gone are the days of tedious manual logging in calorie tracking apps. Whether scanning a full meal or a quick snack, Cal AI gives you accurate nutritional information in under 15 seconds.

The AI learns from your feedback, continuously improving its accuracy. Stay on track with personalized insights and brilliant reminders. Cal AI simplifies achieving your fitness goals. Track your calories with your camera using Cal AI's calorie tracker.

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