Health
Calories Burned Calculator
Pick an activity, enter body weight and duration, and the calculator returns estimated calories burned using the standard MET formula. A custom MET option handles activities not in the list.
Activity
Unit
About MET values
MET (metabolic equivalent) is the energy cost of an activity relative to rest. 1 MET = 3.5 mL O2/kg/min. Calories burned per minute = MET x 3.5 x body weight in kg / 200.
Educational estimate. Real energy cost varies with intensity, terrain, fitness level, and individual physiology. Not a medical measurement.
Calories burned
373 kcal
Running, 6 mph (10 min/mi) at MET 9.8; 747 kcal/hour
For multi-activity workouts, run the calculator separately for each activity and add the calorie totals.
Examples
160 lb run 6 mph for 30 min
≈ 357 kcal
180 lb cycling moderate 60 min
≈ 654 kcal
140 lb brisk walk 45 min
≈ 244 kcal
200 lb weight training (vigorous) 45 min
≈ 408 kcal
How it works
MET-based calorie estimation comes from the Compendium of Physical Activities. The formula is straightforward.
Per minute · kcal/min = MET x 3.5 x kg / 200
Total · kcal = kcal/min x minutes
1 kg = 2.20462 lb; the calculator converts internally.
Related health calculators
- TDEE calculator for your total daily energy expenditure (rest + activity).
- Calorie deficit calculator for planning weight loss using a daily target.
- BMR calculator for your resting baseline (Mifflin-St Jeor).
- Macro calculator for splitting daily calories into protein, carbs, and fat.
- Pace calculator for the pace and finish-time math behind your run.
- All health calculators.
Frequently asked questions
The calculator uses MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Calories burned per minute equals MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg / 200. Multiply by minutes for the total. Heavier bodies and harder activities burn more.
MET (metabolic equivalent of task) is the energy cost of an activity relative to rest. 1 MET equals 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute, which is roughly your resting metabolic rate. Brisk walking is about 4 MET; running 6 mph is about 10 MET.
It is an estimate, not a measurement. Real energy cost depends on intensity, terrain, fitness level, mechanical efficiency, and individual physiology. Two people of the same weight doing the same activity can burn 10 to 20 percent different totals.
MET-based calculations rely on body weight and a known activity intensity, not on heart rate. Heart-rate-based estimates exist (Keytel formula and similar) and need age and resting/max HR; this page keeps the inputs simple.
Calories burned is one half of the energy balance equation. Combine with calories eaten (or with TDEE for daily totals) to plan changes. The calorie-deficit and TDEE calculators are the right tools for weight planning.
MET totals include the resting calorie cost of the time spent exercising. 'Net' calories subtract what you would have burned at rest. The difference is roughly (MET - 1) × 3.5 × kg / 200 × minutes. Most everyday tracking uses the gross MET total.
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