Sometimes it can be difficult to gauge your activity level when you're away from the gym or your accustomed workout. A pedometer is a useful tool to help estimate your caloric burn rate and activity level. You can wear a pedometer on your hip to measure the total number of steps you take each day. With a little preparation beforehand, you can use your pedometer to estimate your caloric expenditure every time you head out for a walk.
Step 1
Walk 20 normal-sized steps outdoors on a flat surface. Check your pedometer to see the number it counted. Although it will ideally record that you took 20 steps, anything in the range of 18 to 22 steps is acceptable accuracy.
Step 2
Clear your pedometer and walk an accurate mile at your regular walking speed, noting the time you begin. This can be on a track or on city streets if you're certain the distance you walk is exactly a mile. Record the number of steps it took you to walk a mile; the average is about 2,000. Record the time you finish your mile walk.
Step 3
Calculate the number of calories you burn while walking at a moderate pace using this formula if you walked moderately:
Calories Burned = 0.029 x weight in pounds x time in minutes your 1-mile walk took.
Use this formula if you walked vigorously:
Calories Burned = 0.048 x weight in pounds x time in minutes your 1-mile walk took.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and your moderately paced mile walk took you 20 minutes, you burned 87 calories (0.029 x 150 x 20). If you walked vigorously and your walk took 15 minutes, you burned 108 calories (0.048 x 150 x 15).
Step 4
Calculate the number of calories burned per step using the data collected during your 1-mile pace trial:
Calories per step = Calories burned in a mile (Step 3) / Steps in a mile (Step 2). This number is your calorie-per-step measurement.
Step 5
Multiply your calories-per-step measurement by the number of steps on your pedometer every time you walk to estimate the number of calories your walk burned.
Things You'll Need
- Pedometer
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