Calories Burned Walking slowly (2 mph) at 75 kg — 210 kcal per Hour
Walking slowly (2 mph) at 75 kg (154-176 lb) burns about 210 kcal per hour. That figure comes from the activity's MET value of 2.8 in the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities, multiplied by body weight: 2.8 x 75 kg x 1 hour = 210 kcal. This page works the numbers out in full - for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, across all four weight bands, and against four comparable activities at the same weight - so you can plan sessions with real figures instead of guessing.
At 2 mph (3.2 km/h) this is a gentle, unhurried pace — the speed of a relaxed stroll, window shopping, or walking while chatting with a friend. You cover about 3.2 km in an hour, and you can talk in full sentences the whole time without breathing hard. It is the easiest form of walking in the Compendium, and that is exactly its strength: it asks almost nothing of you, so it is easy to do every day.
Slow walking suits recovery days, older adults, people returning to activity after a break, and anyone who spends most of the day sitting. The headline number to remember is 210 kcal per hour at 75 kg, or about 105 kcal for a 30-minute walk. Everything below is an estimate: MET values are population averages, and your own burn will vary with fitness, technique and conditions. That does not make the numbers useless — it makes them a planning tool, and a good one, as long as you treat them as approximate.
Calculate your own numbers
Use the calorie calculator to work out your own burn for walking slowly (2 mph) at your exact weight and session length. Enter your weight, pick the activity and set the duration, and the tool applies the same MET formula shown below. You can also try the step calorie calculator to turn your daily step count into an energy figure.
Related pages in this section:
Calories Burned Walking at a moderate pace (3 mph) at 75 kg — 248 kcal per Hour
Calories Burned Walking the dog at 75 kg — 225 kcal per Hour
The formula, shown and cited
The standard way to estimate the energy cost of an activity is the MET formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011; 43(8): 1575-1581):
Calories (kcal) = MET x body weight (kg) x duration (hours)
One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly at rest - about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 2.8 METs therefore uses 2.8 times as much energy as resting. The Compendium's MET values come from published studies that measured oxygen use during each activity, so they are measured averages, not guesses. The value used here, 2.8, is the one recorded for walking slowly (2 mph) in the FitCalc activity data.
Worked through for this page:
- MET for walking slowly (2 mph): 2.8
- Body weight: 75 kg (the midpoint of the 70-80 kg band, 154-176 lb)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Calculation: 2.8 x 75 x 1 = 210 kcal
For a 30-minute session the same calculation is 2.8 x 75 x 0.5 = 105 kcal. Nothing else is hidden in the maths - if your weight or duration changes, only those two numbers change.
Your numbers at 75 kg
| Duration | Calculation | Calories burned |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 2.8 x 75 x 0.25 | 52 kcal |
| 30 minutes | 2.8 x 75 x 0.5 | 105 kcal |
| 45 minutes | 2.8 x 75 x 0.75 | 158 kcal |
| 60 minutes | 2.8 x 75 x 1 | 210 kcal |
| 90 minutes | 2.8 x 75 x 1.5 | 315 kcal |
That is about 3.5 kcal per minute of walking slowly (2 mph) at this weight. A short session still counts: even 15 minutes burns 52 kcal, and three 15-minute sessions across a day add up to the same 158 kcal as one 45-minute session.
How the burn changes with body weight
The MET value stays the same - it describes the activity, not the person - but the calorie total scales with weight, because a heavier body costs more energy to move:
| Body weight | Calories per hour | Calories per 30 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 154 kcal | 77 kcal |
| 65 kg | 182 kcal | 91 kcal |
| 75 kg | 210 kcal | 105 kcal |
| 85 kg | 238 kcal | 119 kcal |
Two people doing the same activity for the same time can therefore burn quite different amounts, and that is expected - it is physics, not a mistake in the formula. If your weight sits between two rows, your figure sits between the two values.
How walking slowly (2 mph) compares
Here is walking slowly (2 mph) against four other activities at the same 75 kg, all using the same MET formula:
| Activity | MET | Calories per hour at 75 kg |
|---|---|---|
| walking slowly (2 mph) | 2.8 | 210 kcal |
| walking at a moderate pace (3 mph) | 3.3 | 248 kcal |
| walking the dog | 3 | 225 kcal |
| Nordic walking | 4.3 | 322 kcal |
| walking briskly (4 mph) | 5 | 375 kcal |
Use this table to choose, not to judge. A higher number means a harder session, not a better one: the activity you enjoy and repeat three times a week beats the activity that burns more per hour but that you quit after a fortnight. Mixing intensities across the week - one harder session, two easier ones - is usually more sustainable than doing the hardest activity every time.
Fitting walking slowly (2 mph) into your week
| Sessions per week | 30 minutes each | 60 minutes each |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sessions | 210 kcal | 420 kcal |
| 3 sessions | 315 kcal | 630 kcal |
| 5 sessions | 525 kcal | 1050 kcal |
At 2.8 METs, slow walking is light-intensity activity. The widely used adult target of 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is not met by slow walking alone, so think of these minutes as the foundation, not the whole building: they reduce sitting time and add to total energy use, and they pair well with two or three brisker walks a week. A daily 30-minute slow walk still burns about 735 kcal a week at 75 kg, which is a real contribution — roughly the energy in a small snack each day — and for someone currently inactive it is the safest possible starting point.
How to use the result
Keep your posture tall, let your arms swing naturally, and wear comfortable shoes with a flexible sole — even a slow walk is better with footwear that fits. The simplest way to use slow walking is to break up sitting: a 10-minute stroll after each meal adds up to 30 minutes a day without ever feeling like exercise. If you want more from the same walk, add time before you add speed — go from 20 minutes to 30, then to 45 — and only then think about picking up the pace toward a moderate walk. If you use a step counter, remember it counts movement, not intensity: slow steps still count toward your daily total, but they do not replace the moderate activity your heart and lungs need. Use the numbers on this page to set realistic expectations rather than to chase a daily total. If you are tracking food as well, add the session's calories to your total daily energy expenditure for that day, and remember that the figure is an estimate with roughly 10-20% uncertainty. Do not eat back every calorie the calculator shows: activity trackers and MET estimates both tend to overstate slightly, and a small margin keeps a weight-loss plan on track. If you are aiming to lose weight, keep the deficit modest - 300-500 kcal a day is a common, sustainable range - and keep your total intake above the safety floors of 1,200 kcal a day for women and 1,500 kcal a day for men unless a healthcare professional advises otherwise.
What the number does NOT tell you
The MET formula is honest about what it measures and silent about the rest. It assumes steady walking on level ground at 2 mph, so it does not account for stops at crossings, window shopping, hills, or carrying shopping bags — all of which change the real figure, in either direction. It does not account for your fitness level: a fit person burns slightly fewer calories doing the same walk than an unfit person, because their body is more efficient. It does not account for body composition, and it says nothing about strength, flexibility or balance gained. It also cannot tell you whether walking is safe for you: if you have a heart condition, joint problems, breathing difficulties or any other health concern, check with a healthcare professional before starting a new activity routine. Use the calorie figure as a planning estimate, and judge the walking by how you feel doing it and whether you keep doing it.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I burn walking slowly for 30 minutes at 75 kg?
About 105 kcal. The maths is 2.8 METs x 75 kg x 0.5 hours = 105 kcal. That is an estimate from the Compendium average — your real burn depends on your fitness, your exact pace and the terrain. If you weigh more or less than 75 kg, use the weight table above to read your own figure.
Is walking slowly actually exercise?
Yes, though it is light-intensity exercise at 2.8 METs. It counts toward your total daily movement and energy use, it breaks up sitting time, and it is a good starting point if you are currently inactive. For heart and lung fitness, though, you also need moderate activity — around 150 minutes a week is the widely used target — so treat slow walking as the foundation and add brisker walks as you are able.
How does walking slowly compare with walking at a moderate pace?
At 75 kg, walking slowly burns about 210 kcal per hour against 248 kcal for walking at a moderate pace (3 mph). The moderate pace burns roughly 18% more for the same hour, because it is rated at 3.3 METs against 2.8. But the best walk is the one you actually do: a slow 45-minute walk beats a moderate walk you never take.
How many steps is 30 minutes of slow walking?
Roughly 2,500-3,000 steps for most adults, depending on stride length — slow walking is usually around 80-90 steps a minute. Step counts vary a lot between people, so use them as a rough guide rather than a precise measure. What matters for calories is time, pace and body weight, not the step count itself.
Can slow walking help with weight loss?
It can help, but only as part of an overall calorie deficit. At 75 kg, an hour of slow walking burns about 210 kcal, which is a modest contribution — so volume matters more than intensity here. Aim for a gradual loss of 0.5-1% of body weight per week, and never drop below 1,200 kcal a day (women) or 1,500 kcal a day (men) without medical supervision.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men - consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.