Hiking Calories Burned | How Many Calories Do You Burn on A Hike?
Whether you’re planning your food supply for an upcoming multi-day trek or evaluating the energy used on a recent day hike, it can be good to know your hiking calories burned. While it might be difficult to pinpoint the exact number of calories you burned on a hike, a rough estimate can be useful.
Below we will go over how to calculate how many calories you burn while doing activity along with different factors that impact hiking calories burned.
Calories Burned Calculations
The general formula for calculating calories burned during any activity is as follows:
Calories Burned = Metabolic Equivalent x Weight (kg) x Time (hr)
Metabolic equivalent (MET) is the measure of the amount of oxygen used for activity. 1 MET is the energy cost of doing nothing. So for instance, if someone weighs 70 kg (roughly 155 pounds) and they sat still and did nothing for an hour, they would burn roughly 70 calories.
This calculation isn’t foolproof. It doesn’t take into account the individual’s age, sex, efficiency of movement, and many other factors that go into to someone’s metabolism. However, it does provide a decent rough estimate.
Keep in mind that the time should be a measure of time spent doing the activity. If you went for a 2 hour hike but took several 5 minute breaks to sight see, drink water, or have a snack, it’d be more accurate to cut the hours from 2 to 1.5.
You can find the different MET of activities by using the Compendium of Physical Activities. For hiking, you can find a wide variety of options under the walking category. That is because hiking calories burned can vary greatly depending on many different factors.
Roughly, the MET for hiking will fall into these ranges below:
- Between 5-6 for cross country hiking
- Between 7-10 for backpacking with load.
Hiking Calories Burned Considerations
There are a few different factors that impact hiking calories burned. These different considerations make it tricky to get an exact estimate of how many calories you will burn on any given hike.
Bodyweight
The more you weigh, the more calories your body will burn. Which makes sense when you think of calories in terms of energy. It takes more calories to move more weight around. So a 110 pound woman would burn fewer calories than a 140 pound woman on the same hike.
Weight Being Carried
Much like how a heavier body weight will require more energy, a person carrying additional weight on their back will require more energy than they would without it. The heavier the backpack, the more hiking calories burned.
Carrying a day pack weighing 10 pounds can burn an average of 50 more calories an hour. Meanwhile carrying a backpacking pack of around 25-35 pounds can burn an additional 100 or more calories per hour.
Birth Sex
Typically, a male will burn more calories than a female no matter what the activity (or inactivity, for that matter). The reason is because men tend to have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio and usually have a heavier body weight. This means their bodies require more energy to do activity than women’s bodies.
Fitness Level
If you’re an avid runner, you might be able to get by with a smaller snack stash than your friend who lives a more sedentary lifestyle. This is because your body adapts to activity and exercise as you do it more frequently, so you become more efficient with calories.
Speed
The pace at which you are hiking plays a big role in the calories you burn while hiking, too. The faster you hike, the more calories you burn. That’s because faster walking is more intense than slower walking. It requires more energy to move your body at a faster pace.
Terrain
The more challenging the trail, the more calories you will burn while hiking it. Trails that feature steeper hills and uneven ground will require more energy to walk on. In fact, walking on an incline of 10% can burn double the calories of walking on a flat surface.
Hiking on sand or in snow is also more challenging and burns more calories than walking on a paved or packed down trail. Hikes that require mild scrambling or climbing over fallen trees will be more demanding as well.
Some hiking calculators, such as Omni Calculator will account for some of these factors to give you a more accurate estimate. Check out their website and test out their calculator!
Why You Should Know
Figuring out your calories burned while hiking can be tricky because there is a lot to it. Is it worth the time calculating it?
We think so! There are a few good reasons to be aware of how many calories you burn on a hiking trip:
- Preparing Your Food Supply– When you have a more accurate estimate of the calories you will burn each day of a backpacking trip, you can plan your food supply more effectively.
- Keeping Tabs On Your Workout Regimen– For many people, hiking is a fun pastime that gets them into the great outdoors. For others, it is a part of their workout routine! When you’re trying to lose, maintain, or gain weight, it makes sense to keep track of calories in vs calories out in order to reach your goals.
- Focusing on Health – Regardless of your fitness goals, it’s important to understand how different activities affect your body and energy levels. This knowledge can help you live a healthier lifestyle and make better choices by keeping you educated about your body’s needs.
If you want to learn more about proper hiking and backpacking nutrition, check out this article next!
Cover photo by Hennadii Hryshyn on Unsplash
