Walking provides a low intensity method of exercise that burns calories for energy. Certain factors like your age, weight, and gender play a role in determining your energy expenditure. Understanding how these factors affect your energy usage helps you to calculate the amount of calories you burn during your walking workouts.
Factors
Your body weight plays a role in your energy expenditure during your walks. People who carry greater amount of body weight burn more calories compared to lighter walkers. Another energy expenditure factor consists of your age. As you mature, your metabolic rate declines gradually over time resulting in fewer calories burned during walking activities. Gender also determines your walking energy expenditure. Males generally expend a greater amount of energy during walks compared to females, because they have more lean muscle mass.
Factors
A 185 lb. person who performs a 30-minute walk at a speed of 3.5 miles per hour burns 178 calories. To compare, a 125 lb. person walking at the same duration and speed burns only 120 calories. These energy expenditure rates prove body weight affects your walking calorie burn.
Increase Expenditure
If increased calorie burn remains your goal, walk at faster speeds to accelerate your energy expenditure results. For example, a 185 lb. person walking for 30 minutes at 3.5 miles per hours burns 178 calories. That same 185 lb. person burns 222 calories in 30 minutes when walking at a speed of 4.5 miles per hour.
Considerations
Consult with your doctor before beginning a walking program. Your physician will take any existing medical conditions and your medical history to assess the safety of a walking regimen. Stop immediately and contact your doctor if you experience any medical issues during your walking program.
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