Calories Burned Calculator

This calories burned calculator uses the standard MET formula: calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours). MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a physiological measure of activity intensity, drawn from the Compendium of Physical Activities. The compendium catalogues the MET value of hundreds of activities, from sleeping (1.0 MET) to running at 10 mph (~16 METs). Multiply the MET by your body weight in kilograms and the time in hours, and you get the calories burned — a quick and well-validated estimate that does not require any wearable device.

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a unit of exercise intensity. By definition 1 MET equals the energy your body uses at complete rest — about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour, or roughly 3.5 ml of oxygen consumed per kg per minute. An activity at 5 METs uses five times the energy of resting. Activities are classified as light (1.5-3 METs), moderate (3-6 METs), or vigorous (6+ METs). This MET calculator shows the MET value of every activity in our list, so you can pick workouts that match your fitness goals.

MET-based estimates are accurate within ±15-20% for the average adult — comparable to most consumer wearables for steady-state cardio. The estimate can be off in either direction for high-interval workouts, very lean or very heavy individuals, very fit athletes (whose efficient bodies use fewer calories at the same workload), or anyone exercising in extreme heat or cold. For everyday planning the number is more than accurate enough. For elite training, lab-measured VO2 testing or a heart-rate-based metabolic estimate will give a more personalised figure.

The MET formula scales calorie burn directly with body weight: more mass moved = more energy required. A 90 kg person walking at 3.5 mph burns about 50% more calories per minute than a 60 kg person at the same pace, simply because they are working harder to move a bigger body. As you lose weight, the absolute calories you burn at any given activity will drop — which is one of the reasons weight loss tends to slow over time and why progressive intensity is important.

Per minute, the highest calorie-burning activities for a 70 kg adult are: running at 10 mph (~19 kcal/min), rope skipping (~14 kcal/min), vigorous cycling at 16-19 mph (~14 kcal/min), swimming butterfly (~12 kcal/min), and boxing or martial arts (~10-12 kcal/min). But the "best" exercise is one you actually enjoy and will do consistently — a 60-minute moderate walk you take five times a week burns far more total calories than a vigorous workout you do once.

Yes. Your body burns calories around the clock to maintain heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and basic cellular processes — this is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which represents 60-75% of your total daily calorie expenditure for most people. Sleeping is rated at 1.0 MET, sitting at rest at 1.3 METs. To estimate your total daily calorie burn (BMR + activity + the calories spent digesting food), use our TDEE Calculator rather than this activity-only tool.

For an average 70 kg adult, 500 kcal corresponds to roughly: 60 minutes of brisk walking (3.5 mph, 3.5 METs), 45 minutes of moderate cycling (12 mph, 8 METs), 35 minutes of running (6 mph, 9.8 METs), 25 minutes of running at 8 mph, or 40 minutes of vigorous swimming. Use the duration slider in this calculator to find the exact time for your weight and chosen activity.

Use both — they complement each other. Wearables like Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Garmin combine heart rate, accelerometer data, and personal profile to estimate calories, which makes them better for HIIT and resistance training where intensity varies a lot. MET-based calculators like this one are more transparent and consistent for steady-state cardio, planning ahead, and comparing activities. Studies generally find wearables overestimate calorie burn by 10-30% for casual activity, while MET formulas err slightly low for very fit people. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Yes — but most experts find a combination works far better. A pound of body fat is about 3,500 kcal, so burning 500 extra kcal/day through exercise would theoretically deliver about 1 lb of weight loss per week. In practice, the body partly compensates by reducing non-exercise activity (the "fidget effect") and by increasing hunger. The most reliable approach is a moderate calorie deficit from both a slightly reduced food intake and increased activity, combined with adequate protein and resistance training to preserve lean muscle.

For most people — absolutely. Walking briskly for 30-60 minutes a day is associated with lower all-cause mortality, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, better blood sugar control, improved mood, and meaningful weight management. It's low-impact, almost injury-free, and requires no equipment. 10,000 steps per day burns roughly 300-500 kcal depending on your body weight. If your goal is general health and sustainable weight management, consistent walking beats sporadic intense workouts every time.

Yes, but the difference is smaller than gym lore suggests. At rest, 1 kg of muscle burns about 13 kcal/day, while 1 kg of fat burns about 4-5 kcal/day. So gaining 5 kg of muscle adds roughly 50 kcal/day to your resting metabolism — meaningful but not transformative. The bigger benefit of strength training is that it preserves lean muscle during weight loss, lets you eat more without gaining fat, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases functional fitness across a lifetime.

The MET values used here are taken directly from the latest edition of the Compendium of Physical Activities — the most cited and rigorously maintained MET reference in exercise science, with hundreds of peer-reviewed activities. Where multiple intensities exist for the same activity (e.g. light vs. vigorous weight training), we list both so you can pick the closest match. Always pick the option that best describes the average intensity of your session — not the peak intensity.