StepsLinkCutting in bodybuilding: cardio, walking, how many steps?
No study sets a "cutting" step count. Practical benchmark: start from your 7-day average and add 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, which is about 50 to 130 kcal of extra expenditure depending on your weight and pace (calculation below). Walking adds to your deficit and to your training sessions; it does not replace them.
What is a cut?
It is a phase to reduce fat while keeping muscle: lower calories, intense strength training and often extra cardio (Helms et al., 2014). The review describes slow weight loss, about 0.5 to 1% of body weight per week, to limit muscle loss, and competitor preparations lasting more than 2 to 4 months. To work out your own deficit, use the calorie deficit calculator. This page gives neither a program nor a meal plan.
What comes from a study and what is a calculation of ours is marked each time: "Study" for a published result, "Calculation" for an operation you can redo, "Benchmark" for a practical value to adjust.
What research says about cutting
- Study: a reference review on the preparation of "natural" bodybuilding competitors (Helms, Aragon, Fitschen, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2014) describes weight loss of about 0.5 to 1% of body weight per week to limit muscle loss, and protein of 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg of lean mass per day. It gives as an example a deficit of 500 kcal a day, about one pound (0.45 kg) per week in a theoretical model. It specifies that this model ignores the body's adaptation. Source
- Study cited by this review: over 24 weeks, men without excess weight, fed half of their needs, lost a quarter of their weight. Their basal expenditure fell by 40% (25% because of the weight loss, 15% through adaptation). It is an extreme case, not an ordinary cut.
- Limit: these figures describe competition preparations. They are not a goal for you. This review talks neither about NEAT nor about steps; it only mentions extra cardio, with no precise duration or order.
- Study: on cardio that interferes with strength training, a meta-analysis (Wilson et al., Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012, 21 studies) concludes that the frequency and duration of endurance work, as well as running (not cycling), are associated with smaller gains in muscle and strength. The abstract does not mention walking. Source
- Study: a more recent and larger meta-analysis (Schumann et al., Sports Medicine, 2022, 43 studies) finds no hindrance on muscle volume (standardized difference −0.01) or on maximal strength (−0.06), only on explosive strength (−0.28), especially when both are done in the same session. It finds no significant effect of the type of cardio (cycling or running) or of frequency. These studies are not about people in a deficit. Source
Honest conclusion: neither meta-analysis talks about walking. Saying that it interferes less with strength training than running is reasoning, not a result.
Walking is expenditure without a "session"
NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is the energy spent outside of sport: walking, standing, moving. In a study by Levine, Eberhardt and Jensen (Science, 1999), 16 non-obese adults overate by 1,000 kcal a day for 8 weeks. About two thirds of the rise in their expenditure came from NEAT, and its variations explained the differences in fat gain between them. Source
Warning: this was an overfeeding study, not a cutting study. It shows that NEAT varies a lot from one person to another; it does not say that it falls in a deficit.
How many kcal do you burn walking? (the calculation)
Calculation, in three lines:
- Choose your pace in the Compendium of Physical Activities (2024 version): walking at 2.8-3.4 mph (4.5 to 5.5 km/h) = 3.8 MET; at 3.5-3.9 mph (5.6 to 6.3 km/h) = 4.8 MET; at 4.0-4.4 mph (6.4 to 7.1 km/h) = 5.5 MET, on flat ground. Source
- Expenditure on top of what you would spend at rest ≈ (MET − 1) × weight in kg × duration in hours. The "− 1" removes rest, which you spend anyway. This convention (1 MET ≈ 1 kcal per kg per hour) is an average approximation, not a measurement of you.
- Go from steps to hours with a benchmark: about 1,300 steps per km, so 6,500 steps for 5 km/h in one hour. Your stride changes this figure: check with the steps to kilometers converter.
Example: 80 kg, 5 km/h (3.8 MET), 6,500 steps in 1 hour: (3.8 − 1) × 80 × 1 = 224 kcal.
Per 1,000 extra steps (calculation, pace of 5 to 6 km/h)
| Your weight | ≈ extra kcal for 1,000 steps | ≈ for 3,000 steps | ≈ for 5,000 steps | ≈ for 8,000 steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 26 to 29 | 78 to 88 | 130 to 145 | 205 to 235 |
| 70 kg | 30 to 34 | 90 to 102 | 150 to 170 | 240 to 275 |
| 80 kg | 34 to 39 | 103 to 117 | 170 to 195 | 275 to 310 |
| 90 kg | 39 to 44 | 116 to 131 | 195 to 220 | 310 to 350 |
Reading: the first value comes from 3.8 MET at 5 km/h, the second from 4.8 MET at 6 km/h. These are orders of magnitude: a watch or an iPhone estimates your expenditure without measuring it, and the figure varies with slope, load carried and your build. I kept 1,300 steps per km at both paces, even though stride lengthens when you speed up: the high value is therefore slightly overestimated.
What step goal to aim for during a cut?
There is no published figure for this. Here is a practical benchmark (not a study result):
- Note your 7-day step average before you start. It is your baseline.
- Add 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, hold for two weeks, then reassess. Going up in stages lets you see whether your sessions suffer.
- Beyond 8,000 to 10,000 extra steps, you are already doing a real cardio session: count it as such in your recovery.
Walking, running or cardio: what to choose when cutting?
| Criterion | Walking | Structured cardio (cycling, running) |
|---|---|---|
| Expenditure per hour on top of rest (80 kg, calculation) | ≈ 224 kcal at 5 km/h | ≈ 464 kcal (general stationary cycling, 6.8 MET); ≈ 664 kcal (running at 6-6.3 mph, about 10 km/h, 9.3 MET) |
| Effect on strength training | Not measured separately (reasoning) | Little hindrance on muscle according to Schumann 2022; Wilson 2012 was more reserved |
| Fits into the day | Yes | Needs a time slot |
| Made for | Raising expenditure without touching your sessions | Saving time at equal expenditure |
The MET values come from the Compendium pages for running and cycling; the equivalence 6-6.3 mph ≈ 10 km/h is our conversion. Calculation: (9.3 − 1) × 80 = 664 and (6.8 − 1) × 80 = 464.
Cardio before or after strength training? Study: if you do both on the same day, strength training first: it is better for dynamic leg strength (+6.9% on average), with no measured difference on muscle volume (Eddens, van Someren and Howatson, Sports Medicine, 2018, 10 studies). Source If you can, separate them by at least 3 h: the gap in explosive strength is significant only within the same session (Schumann 2022). None of these studies was done during a cut. Put walking around your sessions, not in place of them.
The limits
- A deficit that is too large or too long causes fatigue, loss of muscle and a distorted relationship with food. The benchmarks above describe studies on competitors: they do not apply as they are to everyone.
- If you are preparing for a competition, talk to a coach or a sports dietitian.
- If you have a history of eating disorders, or if you are a minor, do not start a cut on your own: consult a doctor or a health professional.
- To calculate your deficit, use the calorie deficit calculator, which details the method. It uses a more detailed formula that takes your height into account: the figure may differ by about 10%.
Tracking your steps during a cut with StepsLink
StepsLink is our team's app: read this section with that in mind. It reads your steps in Apple Health and turns your goal into a line of the day to cross, with a streak of successful days. You set the goal you chose (for example your baseline + 2,000 steps) and you see each day whether you crossed it. StepsLink promises no result on your weight or your physique: it helps you measure and hold your walking goal. Later on, you can play with a group of up to 25 people, if you like walking with others.
See StepsLink on the App Store
Frequently asked questions
How many steps a day when cutting?
There is no established figure. Start from your current 7-day average and add 2,000 to 3,000 steps, then adjust (benchmark, not study).
Is walking enough to cut?
No, not on its own. Walking adds expenditure; nutrition and strength training sessions remain the core of a cut. See the calculation above.
Cardio or walking when cutting?
Walking burns less per hour but fits easily into the day. Structured cardio gives more expenditure per minute. For muscle, Schumann 2022 finds no hindrance on muscle volume or maximal strength; Wilson 2012, older, was more reserved about duration and frequency.
Should you do cardio before or after strength training?
On the same day, strength training first (Eddens 2018); if you can, separate them by at least 3 h (Schumann 2022). None of these studies was done during a cut.
How many kcal do you burn walking?
About (MET − 1) × weight × hours. For 80 kg at 5 km/h for one hour: ≈ 224 kcal on top of rest.
Sources
- Helms E., Aragon A., Fitschen P., "Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation", Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2014: link
- Levine J., Eberhardt N., Jensen M., "Role of nonexercise activity thermogenesis in resistance to fat gain in humans", Science, 1999: PubMed
- Wilson J. et al., "Concurrent training: a meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercises", Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2012: PubMed
- Schumann M. et al., "Compatibility of Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training for Skeletal Muscle Size and Function: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis", Sports Medicine, 2022: PubMed
- Eddens L., van Someren K., Howatson G., "The Role of Intra-Session Exercise Sequence in the Interference Effect: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis", Sports Medicine, 2018: PubMed
- Herrmann S.D., Willis E.A., Ainsworth B.E. et al., "2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities", Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024, 13(1):6-12: walking, running, cycling