Walking is one of the easiest and most accessible forms of exercise. It requires no equipment other than a good pair of walking shoes and can be done anywhere at any time. But just how effective is walking for burning calories and losing weight? Let’s take a look at whether it’s realistic to expect to burn 500 calories in an hour of walking.
How Many Calories Does Walking Burn?
The number of calories burned while walking depends on a few key factors:
- Your weight – Heavier people burn more calories per mile walked than lighter people
- Pace – Faster paces burn more calories per minute than slower paces
- Terrain – Walking uphill burns more calories than walking on flat ground
As a general estimate, the average person who weighs 150 lbs (68 kg) will burn around 100 calories per mile walked. So to burn 500 calories, you’d need to walk 5 miles in one hour, which requires maintaining a pace of 5 miles per hour. This is quite brisk!
Here are some more specific calorie burn estimates for walking based on weight and pace according to sources like Harvard Health and Mayo Clinic:
| Weight | 120 lbs | 150 lbs | 180 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mph (slow pace) | 91 cals/hour | 112 cals/hour | 133 cals/hour |
| 3 mph (moderate pace) | 136 cals/hour | 170 cals/hour | 204 cals/hour |
| 4 mph (brisk pace) | 182 cals/hour | 226 cals/hour | 272 cals/hour |
| 5 mph (very brisk pace) | 227 cals/hour | 283 cals/hour | 340 cals/hour |
As you can see from the table, burning 500 calories per hour requires maintaining a pace of at least 4-5 miles per hour, which is a brisk to very brisk pace for most walkers.
Tips for Burning More Calories When Walking
Here are some tips if you’re looking to maximize your calorie burn from walking:
- Walk at a brisk steady pace of 3-4 mph
- Incorporate hills and intervals into your walks
- Swing your arms and engage your core muscles
- Wear weights on your wrists or ankles
- Use walking poles
- Try walking backward or side-stepping to up the intensity
- Increase your walking time – the longer you walk, the more calories burned
With interval training, you can increase your pace for short bursts then recover at an easier pace which helps burn more total calories. Adding hills is also an effective way to burn more calories in a shorter time.
How Long Would It Take to Walk 5 Miles?
For most people, walking 5 miles straight in one hour would be challenging. Here’s a breakdown of how long it would take to walk 5 miles at different paces:
- 2 mph (slow leisurely pace) – 2 hours 30 minutes
- 3 mph (moderate pace) – 1 hour 40 minutes
- 4 mph (brisk pace) – 1 hour 15 minutes
- 5 mph (very brisk pace) – 1 hour
As you can see, maintaining a pace of 5 miles per hour allows you to cover 5 miles in exactly one hour. This is a vigorous pace that may not be practical or safe for many walkers, especially beginners.
For weight loss, it’s more important to be consistent and walk at a moderate pace for a longer duration than try to maintain too vigorous a pace. After building your fitness level, incorporating some intervals at a brisk 4-5 mph pace can help boost calorie burn.
How Many Steps Does It Take to Walk 5 Miles?
The number of steps it takes to walk 5 miles depends on your stride length. Here’s a rough estimate:
- Small stride length (2 feet per step): 13,000 steps
- Average stride length (2.5 feet per step): 10,400 steps
- Large stride length (3 feet per step): 8,700 steps
For most people, walking 5 miles at a brisk pace would be around 10,000 to 12,000 steps. You can use a fitness tracker or pedometer to count your actual steps.
Activities That Burn 500 Calories Per Hour
While walking can certainly burn 500 calories per hour at a very brisk 5 mph pace, there are other activities that more easily reach this high rate of calorie burn. These include:
- Jogging or running – At just a 6 mph pace, a 150 lb person burns 500 calories per hour
- Swimming laps – Vigorously swimming laps for an hour can burn over 500 calories
- Biking – Riding at 14-16 mph burns around 500 calories per hour
- Jumping rope – Vigorously jumping rope for an hour burns over 800 calories
- High intensity interval training – Doing HIIT workouts burns 500+ calories per hour
So while it is possible to burn 500 calories per hour walking, higher intensity cardiovascular activities can typically reach this level of calorie burn more easily.
Other Benefits of Walking
While walking may not burn calories as quickly as higher intensity workouts, it still offers amazing benefits for health and fitness, including:
- Improves heart health and lowers blood pressure
- Helps control blood sugar and prevent diabetes
- Lowers risk for dementia and cognitive decline
- Reduces inflammation and boosts immunity
- Stimulates bone density to prevent osteoporosis
- Improves balance and coordination
- Elevates mood and relieves stress
In addition to calorie burn, focusing on getting in your daily steps has wide-ranging benefits for both physical and mental health.
Conclusion
In summary, is it possible to burn 500 calories in an hour of walking? Yes, but it requires maintaining a brisk pace of 4-5 miles per hour, which may not be realistic or safe for many people, especially beginners. A more moderate yet energetic pace of 3-4 miles per hour will burn around 250-350 calories per hour for most walkers.
While walking at an intense pace can burn 500 calories per hour, lower intensity activities like brisk walking and jogging done consistently for longer durations can also produce significant weight loss and health benefits. The key is to find a sustainable walking routine that keeps you moving and fits your current fitness level.