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)
min
Calories Burned

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

Common MET Values Reference

ActivityMETCal/hr (70 kg)
Sleeping0.963
Sitting (desk work)1.5105
Walking (3 mph)3.5245
Walking briskly (4 mph)5.0350
Jogging (5 mph)8.0560
Running (8 mph)11.5805
Cycling (moderate)8.0560
Swimming (moderate)6.0420
Weight training5.0350
Yoga3.0210

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 provide more personalised estimates. Use this as a guide, not an exact figure.
High-intensity activities burn the most: 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. 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). MET values are compiled in the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standardised research database covering hundreds of activities, 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.
Body weight is directly proportional to calorie burn: Calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours). A person weighing 100 kg burns roughly 43% more calories doing the same activity for the same duration as a 70 kg person. As you lose weight, your calorie burn per session gradually decreases.
Studies show consumer fitness trackers 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. MET-based calculators like this one provide a reasonable estimate for steady-state aerobic activities.
Gross calories burned is the total energy expended during an activity, including calories you would have burned anyway at rest. Net calories burned subtracts the resting metabolic calories, representing only the extra burn due to exercise. Most calorie burn calculators report gross calories.

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.

Standards & References

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