Calculating calories from walking

I've been posting the number of calories per day that I've used up through walking. I get this information from my pedometer, which tells me the number of steps, total distance and calories burned. I had to set my pedometer and tell it my weight, and my stride length. However, it occurred to me that not everybody has a pedometer, and even those that do may have a more basic version that only calculates steps. So, I found this really useful web site (click on the link above) that has simple tools for calculating calories burned from either (a) the distance you walked (in miles) and your weight, or (b) the time you spent walking (in minutes) and your weight. The latter tool also calculates the distance you've walked. The web site has lots of other useful things, like a tool for calculating calories burned from pedometer steps and a walking schedule. To find the tools - scroll to about half way down the opening page and select one of the following three options:

Calorie calculator by distance (based on distance)
Calorie and distance calculator (based on time)
Pedometer steps calorie and distance calculator (based on pedometer steps)

With all of these tools, two facts become apparent: One is that the energy you use up while walking (or doing any activity) increases with weight. This means that if you lose weight over a period of time, the number of calories burned doing the same activity will decrease. Second, and partly a counter to the first fact, is that as you build up more muscle, your body uses up more calories just living and breathing. In other words, your metabolic rate increases. So although a 'lighter you' will burn less calories doing a specific activity, it will burn more just through general living. Either way, exercise is good!