Q: How many calories are burned when hiking?

According to Harvard Health Publishing , 30 minutes of cross-country hiking will burn: 170 kcal in a 125-pound person 216 kcal in a 155-pound person 252 kcal in a 185-pound person

Question 1

What is calorie maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Also known as maintenance calories, this is the amount of food energy that you should consume each day to ensure that you neither lose nor gain weight.

If you are happy with your current weight and do not want to risk losing or gaining any more, you should get a calorie calculator and carefully track your normal eating for a few days.

The average number you get is likely your maintenance number. If you make sure you hit this number every day, you should keep your weight where it currently is.

It’s important to note that calorie maintenance is not the opposite of the popular calorie deficit. The opposite is actually a calorie surplus, which simply means eating more calories than your body needs/burns with the aim of gaining more weight or muscle.

Question 2

How can I determine the total calories burned in a day by walking?

Accepted Answer

The best way of accurately determining this or simply the calories burned by walking for one hour is to use a fitness tracker. These trackers determine this by using your step count, your height, and your weight. Sometimes your pace will also come into play when determining how many calories you burn after an hour or a day.

Question 3

How many calories are burned when hiking?

Accepted Answer

According to Harvard Health Publishing, 30 minutes of cross-country hiking will burn:

170 kcal in a 125-pound person
216 kcal in a 155-pound person
252 kcal in a 185-pound person

Question 4

Is burning 300 calories at the gym good?

Accepted Answer

Yes, burning 300 calories at the gym is a good starting point for long-term weight loss. A 300-calorie weight loss workout can also help increase your strength levels. However, for better and faster weight loss results, you should aim for at least a 500-calorie workout.

Question 5

How many calories will 10,000 steps burn?

Accepted Answer

A fitness tracker is the best way of determining how many calories you can burn by walking 10,000 steps a day. These trackers often do this by calculating your steps per mile versus your height and weight.

Very Well Health estimates the following calories burned by walking 5,000 or 10,000 steps for people of different heights and weights (8).

People with a height of 6’ or above

	120 lbs	160 lbs	180 lbs	200 lbs	275 lbs	300 lbs
5,000 steps	165 kcal	218 kcal	245 kcal	273 kcal	375 kcal	410 kcal
10,000 steps	330 kcal	435 kcal	490 kcal	545 kcal	750 kcal	820 kcal

People with a height of 5’6” to 5’11”

	120 lbs	160 lbs	180 lbs	200 lbs	275 lbs	300 lbs
5,000 steps	150 kcal	198 kcal	223 kcal	248 kcal	341 kcal	373 kcal
10,000 steps	300 kcal	395 kcal	445 kcal	495 kcal	682 kcal	745 kcal

People with a height of 5’5” or under

	120 lbs	160 lbs	180 lbs	200 lbs	275 lbs	300 lbs
5,000 steps	138 kcal	181 kcal	204 kcal	227 kcal	313 kcal	342 kcal
10,000 steps	275 kcal	363 kcal	408 kcal	454 kcal	625 kcal	683 kcal

Question 6

What exercise burns the most calories?

Accepted Answer

There is still no consensus regarding which exact exercise burns the most calories. Some sources claim that running burns the most, while others insist that jumping rope, dancing, or rowing burn the most calories.

Ultimately, if you are looking to burn a lot of calories in a short period, you should try a high-impact cardio workout. Unlike weightlifting, cardio tends to burn a lot of calories quickly, and the more vigorous or intense your session is, the more calories you will burn.

However, for the best results, a HIIT workout may be the best option for quick calorie burning (3).

Question 7

How many calories do I need to burn to lose 1 Kg?

Accepted Answer

You will need to burn 7,700 calories to lose approximately 1 kg of body weight/fat.

As previously stated, 1 pound of fat (0.453 kgs) is equal to 3,500 calories, so 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of fat is double this. It’s important to remember that this is a general guide and various factors can influence the amount of weight lost.

Question 8

Can I burn calories to gain muscle?

Accepted Answer

To gain muscle, you generally need to be in a calorie surplus and not a calorie deficit. However, if you want to lose weight, which requires a deficit, and also gain muscles, you are advised to eat adequate protein for your individual needs and follow a structured resistance-training program. These two factors will help with muscle gain, even when in a deficit (11).

Weight Loss