People trying to shed a few pounds will take the stairs instead of the elevator, and that ups the daily amount of calories burned. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests the amount is probably more than two generally accepted calculations estimate.

Researchers from Southern Methodist University developed a new way to estimate the energy expenditure of walking that takes into account body weight, walking uphill and walking while carrying a load. Compared to the 40+ year old formulas, which tended to under estimate energy expenditure, this new method more accurately predicts calories burned for 97% of subjects.