How Many Miles is 10 000 Steps? UPDATED 2022

Since many people have the goal of walking 10 000 steps, we thought about answering the question – How many miles is 10,000 steps?

While this may seem like an easy answer it is actually isn’t.

Most of our phones tell us that we should aim to walk at least 10 000 steps a day, and research has shown that to get fit, stay healthy, and lose weight, walking this distance regularly will help you accomplish that.

However, lots of people struggle to fit 10 0000 steps into their daily routine. So, what can you do about it?

In this article we discuss

– Where 10 0000 steps a day came from
– How you can reach it
– How far is 10,000 steps in miles and kilometers
– How far is 10,000 steps in kilometers

So if this interests you, keep on ready to learn more.

How Far is 10,000 Steps? What You Should Know

Unfortunately, there is no clear figure because there are many variables that affect the distance. Stride length and terrain are the two biggest causes of allowing us to have an exact figure.

However, what we do know, is that on average people have a stride that is roughly 2.1 to 2.5 feet long ( 64-76cm). (If you don’t know how to measure your stride, read our articles here)

That means if you have a stride length of between 2.1 and 2.5 feet, you will roughly cover a mile with around 2000 steps. So, 10 000 steps would end up being around 5 miles (approximately 8km).

Unfortunately, many people think that walking and running stride length is the same. However, when running your stride length can change at different speeds and just like running, over different gradients and terrain.

How Long Does It Take To Walk 10,000 Steps?

So now you have an approximate figure of how far 10 000 steps is (5 miles/8km, based on a stride length of 2.1 and 2.5 feet), how long does it take to walk 10 0000 steps?

On average most people can take about 100 steps per minute if walking along with the flat at moderate intensity. That means anything above that number, is classed as more vigorous intensity.

So based on the above you should expect to be able to walk around 1,000 steps per minute. However, with this amount of steps per minute, it is classed on the upper end of moderate intensity. So, slightly faster than walking through a supermarket.

So, at this pace which is roughly three miles per hour for the average person, it will take you around 1 hour 40 minutes to complete 10,000 steps.

 

Should You Walk 10 000 Steps A Day?

On average most people walk between 4,000 and 5,000 steps per day. However, this is generally on the low side of physical activity you should complete each day. Bringing the number of steps up to 10 000 gives you roughly an extra hour a day of exercise. This then brings you above the average recommendation for daily exercise.

However, if you struggle to fit in 10,000 steps a day at a moderate pace (1 hour 40 minutes) you should try increasing the intensity. By doing so, you will be able to complete the 10 000 steps in no more than 80 minutes.

How Many Calories Do Walking 10,000 Steps Burn?

So now you know roughly how many steps it takes to walk a mile, how about calories? How many calories does walking 10,000 steps burn?

Unfortunately not that much. But, if you regularly walk that distance each day the calories will add up.

However, the number of calories you burn walking 10,000 steps will vary between people. Things like body weight, speed, terrain, weather, and fitness level all play a huge part in how many calories you burn.

Luckily, there are tools available to help measure calorie expenditure. Brands like Garmin, Suunto, Polar, Fitbit, and others produce smartwatches that can give you an estimate of the calories burnt through exercise.

These types of watches are great for people wanting to count or track calories while walking. Not only that, but they can also measure have far you walked and how many steps you took.

So, if you are serious about knowing how many calories your burnt or steps you took, invest in a smartwatch!

However, to use it properly requires a habit of regular exercise and if you want to measure your steps for an entire day, you will need to wear it from the time you wake up, to the time you sleep.

How To Increase Your Daily Step Count?

If you are one of those people that struggle to reach anywhere close to 10,000 steps a day, there are a few ways you can increase your daily step count. This includes:

– Walk during your lunch breaks
– Park further away from your destination
– Take regular breaks at work by walking around the office.
– Use the stairs rather than the elevator
– Introduce short morning and evening walks
– Plan hikes away.

As you can see there are multiple ways for you to increase your daily or weekly step count. You don’t need to plan in 1 hour plus walks every day to reach your target. By just adding extra steps throughout your day, you will reach the magical 10,000 mark with ease.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the information we have shared gives you an understanding of how many steps are in a mile and how you can implement this number into your daily routine. However, the rest is up to you. So put on your shoes and take that extra journey to your car, or do some extra laps around the office. Your body will thank you for it!