How Many Steps in a Mile? & Steps to Miles for FitBit

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Since the emergence of the FitBit, how many steps in a mile seems to be a pretty common question. I mean we need to know! I need to close all three 3 rings on my Apple Watch! Don’t you?

Did you get a FitBit or Apple Watch or some other fitness tracker for Christmas? Or maybe you already own one?

Either way, I bet you might be setting some New Year’s Resolutions to walk more and hit that infamous 10,000 step mark!!

So we are asked…exactly how many steps in a mile? How many miles is 10,000 steps?

How many steps are in a mile?

The short answer is about 2,000 steps make up a mile.

With that said – your stride can make a difference.

As a former math teacher, I used to have a lesson on rotations per minute. The larger the tire, the more ground it covered, so it had fewer reps per minute versus a smaller tire which needed a few more rotations to cover the same amount of ground.

I shared this theory with a friend I was walking with who is a bit taller than I am, and he was covering more ground with fewer strides…thus I was having to walk more quickly to keep up.

He insisted his 3 mph was the same as mine. You know…a pound of feathers is still a pound kinda thinking. Well, let me tell you, he’d have a different opinion if he were walking as fast as I was to keep up. I definitely had more “rotations per minute.”

Aside from my little story though, given the average person’s stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet, most of us need about 2,000 walking or jogging steps to make a mile…regardless of how fast you go.

How many steps are in a FitBit mile?

It seems to take forever to make that darn little Bit happy with steps, doesn’t it?! Well, to answer the question above, a FitBit mile is just like any other mile.

It’s still about 2,000 steps give or take a few depending on your height.

The big goal it seems for the little Bit (please forgive the play on words…it’s about as naughty as I get with cuss words) is 10,000 steps.

That’s about 5 miles, and it’s a popular target, but it isn’t a magic number. Research suggests you can see health benefits with fewer steps, especially as you get older, so don’t get discouraged if you’re not there yet.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, according to the CDC. A daily walking habit is a great way to work toward that goal.

Want to see your fitness improve?

Walking is a great start, but adding strength training and interval workouts will help you see even more results.

If you need help finding an at-home program, check out our favorite home workouts!

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Most people work jobs where they sit all day (ahem…as I sit and write), so they struggle to hit that 10,000 step mark, so introduce the pedometers and then the smartwatch gizmos to track.

I have to be honest, I get tickled when my Apple Watch dings that I’ve just closed a ring. Why is that? Why does a little ding saying I did well tickle me so much?

FitBit Versa vs Apple Watch: Which One Is the Best?

If you are still thinking about tracking your fitness and not sure whether a FitBit or Apple Watch is better for you, check out Kalee’s review. She’s tried them both.

How many steps in 5 miles? 3 miles? 2 miles?

I feel like I’ve probably beat this into the ground by now with how many steps are in a mile or 5 miles, but let us recap in case you missed it with my storytelling.

1 miles is approximately 2, 000 steps
3 miles is approximately 6,000 steps
5 miles is approximately 10, 000 steps

Here’s a quick chart based on about 2,000 walking steps per mile:

Miles	Approximate Steps
0.5 mile	1,000 steps
1 mile	2,000 steps
1.2 miles	2,400 steps
1.4 miles	2,800 steps
1.5 miles	3,000 steps
2 miles	4,000 steps
3 miles	6,000 steps
4 miles	8,000 steps
5 miles	10,000 steps

Taller people with a longer stride will need a few less steps, and shorter people will need a few more.

How many steps in a running mile?

Stride length once again comes into the equation, so it’s hard to be specific. There is a general range though that I can give you:

A run with a long stride, 2,000 steps will get you about 1.2 miles

A fast run with a very long stride, will have you about 1.4 miles with 2,000 steps.

There are sites out there to help you figure closer to how many steps you’ll actually have based on your height. I found some very helpful information at VeryWellFit.

How many steps should you do to lose a pound?

There isn’t one perfect number, because weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you eat over time.

With that said, it is suggested to lose a pound per week, you need to burn an additional 3500 calories a week.

That magical number of 10,000 steps is equal to about 60-90 minutes of exercise which will burn around 2,000 to 3,500 calories a week depending on your current weight and how quickly you walk.

Jogging at a brisk 5 mph pace for an hour, or getting 10,000 steps throughout the day, will get you close to that 3,500, if not hit it, by the end of the week.

You could also walk at a 3.5 mph pace to hit your 10,000 steps, but it’ll take about an hour and a half, and you’ll burn a little fewer calories since walking is lower intensity than jogging.

So hitting 10,000 steps a day can make a real difference over time. If you’re hitting it but not seeing changes, try picking up your pace to a brisk walk, adding a few hills, or breaking your walks into shorter sessions after meals.

Already walking as fast as you can?

Then it’s time to look at your diet. As certified nutrition coaches, we’ve found that most women see the biggest changes when they pair daily walks with balanced meals.

We like to follow the 80/20 plan that way we can have a treat once in a while.