Calories Burned Calculator
Calculate calories burned during exercise using MET values, body weight, and duration.
How to use this tool
- Enter body weight, met value and duration in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your calories burned and the full breakdown beneath it.
Calories burned = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours). Common MET values: walking 3.5, cycling 8, running 11, swimming 6.
⚠ This tool is for general information and education only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.
Formula
Calories burned (kcal) = MET × Body weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
Where Duration (hours) = minutes ÷ 60. Result is rounded to the nearest whole kilocalorie.
How it works
This calculator applies the standard MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) equation published by the American College of Sports Medicine. A MET value of 1 represents the energy cost of sitting quietly (approximately 1 kcal/kg/hr); multiplying by body weight and duration converts that ratio into total kilocalories burned during the activity.
MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.) and represent averages across populations — actual burn varies with fitness level, movement efficiency, and environmental conditions. The formula estimates gross calorie expenditure including resting metabolism during exercise, not net additional calories above baseline.
Worked example
- Body weight: 70 kg. Activity MET: 8.0 (e.g. running at moderate pace). Duration: 30 minutes (= 0.5 hours).
- Calories = 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal.
- Round to nearest whole number: 280 kcal.
Calories burned: 280 kcal
Common mistakes to avoid
- Entering body weight in pounds when the formula requires kilograms — MET x weight(lbs) x hours overstates calories burned by a factor of 2.2.
- Using a MET value for vigorous effort when the actual exercise intensity was moderate, inflating the calorie estimate significantly.
- Confusing gross calories burned (what MET calculates) with net calories burned — the MET result already includes the calories your body would burn at rest during that period.
Key terms
- MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)
- A ratio of the energy cost of an activity to the resting metabolic rate; 1 MET ≈ 1 kcal/kg/hr at rest, while running at 8 mph is roughly 13.5 METs.
- Kilocalorie (kcal)
- The unit of food and exercise energy commonly called a 'calorie' in everyday use; equal to 1,000 thermochemical calories.
- Gross vs. net calories
- Gross expenditure includes resting metabolism during exercise; net expenditure subtracts the calories that would have burned at rest, giving the true activity premium.
- Compendium of Physical Activities
- A database of MET values for hundreds of activities maintained by Ainsworth et al. and widely used in exercise science and public health research.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a MET value?
- MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is the ratio of exercise intensity to rest. A MET of 1 is sitting quietly; running at 10 km/h is roughly MET 10.
- Are these calories accurate?
- They are estimates. Individual variation in metabolism, fitness level, and terrain can shift actual calorie burn by ±20%.