The number of calories burned walking a mile varies primarily based on your body weight and walking speed, but a common rule of thumb is:
- A person weighing around 180 pounds burns about 100 calories per mile walked
- Someone weighing 120 pounds burns closer to 65 calories per mile
- For a person weighing 150-160 pounds, the calorie burn is roughly 85 to 96 calories per mile at a moderate pace
Walking speed affects how quickly you burn those calories but not the total calories burned per mile. For example, walking a mile faster burns calories at a higher rate per minute but the total calories per mile remain similar
. Walking uphill or on uneven terrain increases calorie burn compared to walking on flat ground. For instance, a 150-pound person walking a mile uphill can burn around 95-108 calories, depending on pace
. In summary, the approximate calories burned walking one mile are:
- 60-70 calories for lighter individuals (~100-120 lbs)
- 85-100 calories for average weight individuals (~150-180 lbs)
- Over 130 calories for heavier individuals (~220 lbs and above)
These estimates assume a moderate walking pace on flat terrain
. Thus, if you want a quick estimate, about 100 calories per mile is a reasonable average for a typical adult.
