Calories Burned Calculator
Enter your weight, how long you exercised, and the type of activity to estimate the calories you burned. This general calculator covers walking, running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, yoga, and HIIT using standard MET (metabolic equivalent) values.
How to calculate calories burned
MET (metabolic equivalent of task) measures how many times more energy an activity uses compared to resting. Multiply the activity's MET value by your body weight in kilograms and the duration in hours to estimate calories burned. Walking is a light 3.5 METs, running at 6 mph is a demanding 9.8 METs, and values in between cover cycling, swimming, lifting, yoga, and HIIT. Heavier bodies and longer durations burn more for the same activity.
Calories = MET x weight (kg) x duration (hours)
Worked example
A 160 lb (72.57 kg) person walks (3.5 MET) for 30 minutes.
- Weight: 160 lb x 0.453592 = 72.57 kg
- Duration: 30 minutes = 0.5 hours
- Calories = 3.5 x 72.57 x 0.5 = 127.0
Result: About 127 calories burned for a 30-minute walk at this weight.
Frequently asked questions
What is a MET value?
MET stands for metabolic equivalent of task, a standard measure of how much energy an activity requires compared to sitting still (1 MET). Walking is about 3.5 METs, moderate cycling about 7.5 METs, and vigorous running about 9.8 METs. These reference values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities used widely in exercise science.
Why does body weight change the calorie estimate so much?
Moving a heavier body takes more energy for the same activity, so calorie burn scales close to linearly with weight. A 200 lb person burns noticeably more than a 130 lb person doing the identical workout for the identical duration, even at the same MET value.
How does this differ from the running-only calories calculator?
The dedicated running calories calculator uses a distance-based formula (calories per kilometer run) tailored specifically to running. This calculator instead covers seven different activity types with a MET-based formula driven by duration rather than distance, useful for activities like swimming, cycling, or lifting where distance is not the natural input.
Are MET-based calorie estimates accurate?
They are a reasonable estimate for population averages but do not account for individual fitness level, intensity within an activity, or terrain. Treat the result as a general guide rather than a precise number, and note this is not medical advice.
Does exercise intensity within an activity matter?
Yes, a lot. Running at 6 mph (9.8 METs) burns much more than a slow jog, and vigorous cycling burns more than a leisurely ride. This calculator uses one representative MET value per activity type for simplicity; a harder effort at the same activity will burn somewhat more than shown here.