Calories Burned Calculator

Calculate calories burned during exercise and daily activities using MET values — just enter your weight, activity, and duration

Weight

Activity Category

Activity

Duration (minutes)

Calories Burned

Select an activity, enter your weight and duration, then click Calculate.

Common MET Values Reference

Activity	MET	Cal/hr (70 kg)
Sleeping	0.9	63
Sitting (desk work)	1.5	105
Walking (3 mph)	3.5	245
Walking briskly (4 mph)	5.0	350
Jogging (5 mph)	8.0	560
Running (8 mph)	11.5	805
Cycling (moderate)	8.0	560
Swimming (moderate)	6.0	420
Weight training	5.0	350
Yoga	3.0	210

Frequently Asked Questions

Calories burned is calculated using MET values (Metabolic Equivalent of Task): Calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours). MET represents the intensity of an activity relative to rest. A MET of 1 = resting metabolism. Higher MET = more calories per minute.

Heavier people burn more calories for the same activity because more energy is required to move a larger body mass. This is why the MET formula multiplies by body weight. A 100 kg person burns roughly 43% more calories jogging than a 70 kg person.

MET-based calculations provide a good estimate but actual calorie burn varies by fitness level, age, muscle mass, exercise intensity, and individual metabolism. Heart rate monitors and wearables that track heart rate provide more personalised estimates. Use this as a guide, not an exact figure.

High-intensity activities burn the most calories: running (MET 11.5), jump rope (MET 12.3), rowing vigorously (MET 12), and cross-country skiing (MET 9.5). For a 70 kg person, vigorous running burns about 800+ calories per hour. However, lower-intensity activities sustained longer can also achieve high total burns.

A calorie deficit of 500–750 calories per day typically leads to about 0.5–0.7 kg of weight loss per week. This can be achieved through a combination of diet and exercise. Always aim for sustainable, gradual weight loss rather than extreme deficits.

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — a unit that expresses how much energy an activity requires relative to sitting at rest (MET = 1). A MET of 2 means the activity burns twice the calories of sitting; a MET of 10 means ten times. MET values are compiled in the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standardised research database covering hundreds of activities from gardening (MET ~3.5) to vigorous running (MET ~11.5). They are measured using oxygen consumption in laboratory studies.

Walking 10,000 steps at a moderate pace covers roughly 7–8 km and burns approximately 280–400 kcal for a person weighing 70 kg. A heavier person (90 kg) may burn 360–500 kcal for the same walk, while a lighter person (55 kg) burns considerably less. Running 10,000 steps burns significantly more because the MET value for running is 2–3 times higher than walking. Use the steps-to-calories calculator for a more personalised estimate.

Body weight is directly proportional to calorie burn during physical activity because more energy is needed to move a heavier body. The MET formula — Calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours) — shows this relationship explicitly. A person weighing 100 kg burns roughly 43% more calories doing the same activity for the same duration as a 70 kg person. This also means that as you lose weight, your calorie burn per session gradually decreases, which can slow further weight loss progress.

Studies show that consumer fitness trackers (smartwatches, fitness bands) have a calorie burn error rate of 15–40%, even from leading brands. Heart rate-based trackers are more accurate than step-count-only devices, but both struggle with activities like cycling, weightlifting, or swimming. MET-based calculators like this one provide a reasonable estimate for steady-state aerobic activities. For the most accurate measurement, metabolic testing in a clinical or sports lab is required. Treat all estimates as useful guides, not exact figures.

Gross calories burned is the total energy expended during an activity, including the calories you would have burned anyway at rest (your BMR contribution). Net calories burned subtracts the resting metabolic calories, representing only the extra burn due to exercise. For example, a 70 kg person jogging for 30 minutes burns roughly 350 gross kcal, but only about 280 net kcal above resting. Most calorie burn calculators report gross calories — keep this in mind when tracking exercise against your daily calorie goal.

About This Calories Burned Calculator

This free Calories Burned Calculator uses standardised MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values from the Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate energy expenditure. Select your activity, enter your body weight and duration to get a precise calorie estimate. Results include calories per minute and equivalent food comparisons.

Standards & References

Compendium of Physical Activities

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