Losing about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week is commonly estimated to need an energy gap of roughly 550 kcal a day. For a 70 kg adult, walking burns about 27 kcal per 1,000 steps, so walking alone would need about 20,000 extra steps. Combining 5,000 to 8,000 extra steps with eating 250 to 350 kcal less is often more realistic. These are estimates; real-world results vary. Burning 500 calories takes about 18,700 steps.
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Steps to burn 100 to 1,000 calories
For a 70 kg, 174 cm adult at an average pace. Heavier people need fewer steps.
Calories
Steps
Distance
Time at 100 steps/min
100 kcal
about 3,700
2.7 km (1.7 mi)
37 min
200 kcal
about 7,500
5.4 km (3.3 mi)
75 min
300 kcal
about 11,200
8.1 km (5.0 mi)
1 h 52 min
500 kcal
about 18,700
13.5 km (8.4 mi)
3 h 7 min
1,000 kcal
about 37,300
27 km (16.7 mi)
6 h 13 min
How the plan is worked out
A kilogram of body fat stores roughly 7,700 kcal, so the planner divides the weight you want to lose by the number of days to find the daily energy gap. Whatever the food change doesn't cover comes from extra steps, using your stride and weight. Real-world loss varies, because metabolism adapts and water weight shifts.
A safe pace
Aim to lose no more than about 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lb), or 1% of body weight, a week.
Build up steps gradually, by around 1,000 a day each week.
The planner won't plan for a goal below a healthy weight for your height.
If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are worried about your weight or eating, talk to a doctor before starting a weight-loss plan.
Common questions
How many steps a day to lose weight?
There is no fixed number; it depends on how much you eat. Walking burns about 27 kcal per 1,000 steps for a 70 kg adult. Adding 5,000 to 8,000 steps a day and eating 250 to 350 kcal less creates a gap of about 500 kcal, which is estimated to equal roughly 0.5 kg a week, though results vary.
How many steps does it take to burn 500 calories?
About 18,700 steps for a 70 kg, 174 cm adult, roughly 13.5 km of walking. A 90 kg adult needs about 14,500 steps.
How many steps to burn 300 calories?
About 11,200 steps for a 70 kg adult, which is roughly 8 km or 1 hour 50 minutes of walking at 100 steps a minute.
Is walking 10,000 steps a day enough to lose weight?
10,000 steps burns around 250 to 350 kcal of active energy for most adults. It may contribute to weight loss if your food intake stays the same; many people find combining it with a modest food change easier to sustain. Results vary.