Free tool
Weighted vest walking calorie calculator
How much more does a weighted vest actually burn on a walk? Enter your weight, the vest, your pace and where you walk. The calculator compares the same walk with and without the vest, so you see what the vest adds on its own.
The vest adds, per walk
— kcal
- Same walk, no vest
- — kcal
- Same walk, with vest
- — kcal
- Extra per day
- — kcal
- Extra per week
- — kcal
Walk totals are estimated total energy used during the walk, including what your body burns at rest. They're estimates, not measurements.
How the calculation works
The calculator uses the Pandolf equation, a widely used load-carriage model that estimates the energy cost of walking while carrying weight. It accounts for body weight, the load, walking speed, grade and a terrain factor. Soft ground costs more than pavement, and loose sand roughly doubles the walking part of the cost.
It runs the equation twice, once with the vest and once without, and shows the difference. That difference is what the vest adds. The totals include the energy your body uses just standing, so they're higher than "net" figures some trackers show.
The extra burn is smaller than most people expect. With the defaults above, a 20 lb vest on a 180 lb walker adds about 8% to the walk. More vest, a faster pace or a hill all push that up.
Limits: research has found the Pandolf equation tends to underpredict energy use with heavier loads and at faster speeds, and it doesn't account for downhill walking, so incline here starts at 0. Your own number depends on fitness, fit of the vest and how you walk. Use it as a ballpark.
How I used a weighted vest
After the first 20 to 30 pounds came off, I hit a wall. What got the weight moving again was a 20 lb weighted vest, which was roughly adding back weight I'd already lost. I didn't put it on for every walk. I started with one walk a day, and only added more when progress stopped.
The part nobody tells you is what happens when you take it off. Walking without the vest afterward, I felt like I was floating. Every step was so easy.
Once I got down to 160, I stopped using it, and I haven't worn it since. It was a tool for a stall, not something I needed forever.
Weighted vest walking FAQ
How many extra calories does a weighted vest burn while walking?
By this estimate, a 180 lb person walking 30 minutes at 3 mph on flat pavement burns about 11.5 extra calories with a 20 lb vest (roughly 147 without it, 159 with it), about 8% more than the same walk without the vest. A heavier vest, a faster pace, an incline or softer ground all increase it.
How accurate is this calculator?
It's an estimate. The Pandolf equation is a widely used load-carriage model, but studies have found it underpredicts with heavier loads and higher speeds, and it doesn't cover downhill walking. Treat the result as a ballpark, not a measurement.
Should you wear a weighted vest on every walk?
I didn't. I started with one walk a day and added more only when progress stopped, then stopped using the vest entirely once I got down to 160. If you have back, joint or heart problems, check with your doctor before walking with added weight.
The rest of the story is in the book
The No Gym Way is the true story of losing 70 lbs walking after every meal, with no gym and no strict diet. Get one email when it's out.