Calories Burned Calculator
Calculate calories burned during exercise using MET values. Supports 30+ activities from walking to swimming with adjustable duration and weight.
Select an activity, enter your weight and duration.
How Does the Formula Work?
The calories burned calculator uses the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) system to estimate energy expenditure during physical activity. MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities — a widely used research database — quantify the intensity of each activity relative to sitting quietly. Combined with your body weight and exercise duration, MET values provide a reliable estimate of total calorie burn.
MET = Metabolic Equivalent of Task
1 MET ≈ 1 kcal/kg/hour (resting energy)
Examples (70 kg person, 30 minutes):
Walking (3.5 MET): 3.5 × 70 × 0.5 = 122.5 kcal
Jogging (7.0 MET): 7.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 245 kcal
Running 10km/h (9.8 MET): 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 kcal
Swimming laps (8.0 MET): 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal
Jump rope (11.0 MET): 11.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 385 kcal
Understanding MET Values
MET represents how many times more energy an activity requires compared to rest. Sitting quietly is 1.0 MET. Light activities like walking (2.5–4.5 MET) burn 2.5 to 4.5 times more than rest. Moderate activities like cycling and swimming (6–8 MET) are 6 to 8 times resting expenditure. Vigorous activities like running and jump rope (10+ MET) burn 10 or more times resting energy. This calculator includes 36 activities across 9 categories with MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Factors Affecting Calorie Burn
The MET formula provides a population-level estimate. Individual calorie burn varies based on several factors. Fitness level matters — trained individuals perform the same activity more efficiently, potentially burning fewer calories. Body composition affects results because muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat. Exercise intensity within a category varies (a gentle jog differs from all-out running even within the "jogging" category). Environmental factors like temperature, altitude, and terrain also play a role. For precise measurement, heart rate monitors or indirect calorimetry provide better individual accuracy.
Using Calorie Burn for Weight Management
Combining this calculator with a BMR/TDEE calculator gives a complete picture of your daily energy balance. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. A deficit of 500 calories per day (through reduced eating, increased exercise, or both) typically results in about 0.5 kg of weight loss per week. The food equivalents shown in the results help contextualize how much exercise it takes to offset specific foods — for example, you might need 30 minutes of jogging to burn off a chocolate bar.
Activity Categories
The calculator organizes 36 activities into 9 categories: walking (4 activities from slow to hiking), running (4 from jogging to sprinting), cycling (4 including stationary bike), swimming (3 intensity levels), gym/strength (4 including HIIT and CrossFit), sports (6 popular sports), flexibility (4 from stretching to power yoga), dance/cardio (3 including jump rope), and other (5 including rowing, elliptical, and household chores). Each activity shows its MET value so you can compare intensities at a glance.
Tips & Recommendations
From walking to HIIT, organized in 9 categories with MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities research database.
Calories scale linearly with body weight. A heavier person burns proportionally more calories doing the same activity for the same duration.
See your calorie burn in bananas, chocolate bars, and pizza slices. A helpful way to visualize what your workout offsets.
Try different activities to see which burns more. Jump rope (MET 11) burns over 4× more than walking (MET 2.5) per minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are calories calculated?
Using the MET formula: Calories = MET × weight(kg) × duration(hours). MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research database of exercise intensities.
What is MET?
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. 1 MET equals the energy cost of sitting quietly (approximately 1 kcal/kg/hour). An activity with MET 7 burns 7 times more energy than sitting.
How accurate is this calculator?
MET-based calculations provide good estimates for average-intensity exercise. Actual calorie burn varies based on fitness level, body composition, exercise intensity, temperature, and individual metabolism.
Why does weight matter?
Heavier people burn more calories doing the same activity because more energy is needed to move more mass. The relationship is linear — a 90 kg person burns about 28.5% more than a 70 kg person.
What are the food equivalents?
The calculator shows approximate food equivalents (bananas, chocolate bars, pizza slices) to help visualize the calorie burn. These are rough comparisons — actual food calories vary by brand and preparation.
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