Fitness
Calories Burned Calculator
Pick an activity, enter your weight and how long you did it, and estimate the calories burned using MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Calculation inputs
Estimates are averages for healthy adults; your actual burn depends on fitness, effort, and terrain.
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About this calculator
This calculator estimates the calories you burn during common activities — walking, running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, yoga, and more — from your body weight and the time spent. It uses MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard research reference.
How the calculation works
- Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)
- Weight (kg) = weight (lb) × 0.4536
Notes and assumptions
One MET is roughly the energy you use sitting still — about 1 kcal per kilogram per hour.
The Compendium values are averages measured in adults, so treat the result as an estimate rather than a precise count.
How it works in plain English
A MET, or metabolic equivalent of task, compares the energy cost of an activity with sitting quietly. One MET is roughly 1 kilocalorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated 8 METs, such as cycling at 12–13.9 mph, burns about eight times as much energy as resting.
The Compendium of Physical Activities, developed by Ainsworth and colleagues, lists measured MET values for hundreds of activities. The tool multiplies the selected activity's MET value by your weight in kilograms and the duration in hours. If you enter pounds, it converts them using 1 lb = 0.4536 kg.
The result is gross calories, meaning it includes what you would have burned at rest anyway. Actual burn varies with fitness, efficiency, terrain, temperature, and effort, so the figure is an estimate for healthy adults. The comparison table shows the same duration across every listed activity at your weight.
The formula
- Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)
- Weight (kg) = weight (lb) × 0.4536
Worked example
Suppose you weigh 160 pounds and run for 30 minutes at 6 mph, a 10-minute-mile pace.
160 lb is about 72.6 kg. Running at 6 mph has a MET value of 9.8, so the burn is 9.8 × 72.6 × 0.5 ≈ 356 calories.
The same 30 minutes of brisk walking at 3.5 mph (4.3 METs) burns about 156 calories, and 30 minutes of Hatha yoga (2.5 METs) about 91 calories. Running roughly doubles the walking burn for the same time.
MET values for common activities
| Activity | MET | Calories in 30 min at 160 lb |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga, Hatha | 2.5 | 91 |
| Walking, 3.0 mph | 3.5 | 127 |
| Weightlifting, light/moderate | 3.5 | 127 |
| Walking, 3.5 mph | 4.3 | 156 |
| Swimming laps, light/moderate | 5.8 | 211 |
| Cycling, 12–13.9 mph | 8.0 | 290 |
| Running, 6 mph | 9.8 | 356 |
| Jumping rope, moderate | 11.8 | 428 |
Source: Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth BE et al., 2011 update), adult values.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the MET formula?
It is a reasonable average estimate, typically within 10–20% for most healthy adults. MET values were measured in groups of people, so your own burn depends on fitness, body composition, technique, and how hard you actually work. Use it for comparisons and planning, not precise counting.
What is the Compendium of Physical Activities?
It is a research catalogue, first published in 1993 by Barbara Ainsworth and colleagues and updated since, that assigns MET values to hundreds of activities based on published energy-expenditure studies. It is widely used in exercise science and public health research.
Why do heavier people burn more calories?
Moving a heavier body takes more energy, so calorie burn scales with weight. In the MET formula weight is a direct multiplier: a 200 lb person burns about 25% more than a 160 lb person doing the same activity for the same time.
Does this include calories I would burn anyway?
Yes. The formula gives gross calories, including the roughly 1 MET you would burn at rest. To estimate only the extra calories from exercise, subtract one MET: use (MET − 1) × weight × hours.
Are fitness tracker numbers more accurate?
Trackers add heart rate data, which can help, but studies show their calorie estimates also vary widely. Treat both the tracker and this calculator as estimates, and look at trends over time rather than any single number.