Health

Calories Burned Calculator

Estimate kilocalories burned during any activity based on your body weight, the activity type, and session duration.

Weight unit:

Enter your weight and duration to see calories burned.

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Calories Burned Formula (MET Method)

The MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method is the standard approach used in exercise science to estimate calorie expenditure.

Calories (kcal) = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)

Example: Running at 10 km/h (MET 10) for 30 min at 70 kg → 10 × 70 × 0.5 = 350 kcal

Understanding Calories Burned During Exercise

Calorie burn during exercise depends on three main factors: how intense the activity is, how much you weigh, and how long you exercise for. More intense activities have higher MET values, heavier individuals expend more energy, and longer sessions multiply the total burn.

This calculator covers over 20 common activities from walking and running to swimming, cycling, yoga, and team sports. Each activity is assigned a MET value based on the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standardised research reference used in nutrition and exercise science.

Use the results to estimate your energy expenditure for fitness tracking, adjust your nutrition plan around training days, or simply understand which activities deliver the most calorie burn per hour for your goals.

Frequently asked questions

How does the calories burned calculator work?
The calculator uses Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values. The formula is Calories = MET × weight in kilograms × duration in hours. MET represents how many times more energy an activity burns compared to sitting quietly, making it a reliable way to estimate effort across different body weights.
What is a MET value and where do these numbers come from?
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. A MET of 1.0 equals the energy cost of sitting still at rest. Running at 10 km/h has a MET of about 10, meaning it burns roughly ten times more calories per unit of body weight than sitting. MET values are standardised in the Compendium of Physical Activities, a widely cited research database.
How accurate is the calories burned estimate?
MET-based estimates are reasonable approximations but not precise measurements. Actual calorie burn varies with individual fitness level, body composition, terrain, temperature, and movement efficiency. For a precise measurement, a heart rate monitor or metabolic analyser provides better accuracy. This calculator gives a reliable ballpark for planning and tracking purposes.
Why does body weight affect calories burned so much?
Heavier bodies require more energy to move the same distance or maintain the same activity level. Since the formula multiplies MET by body weight, a 90 kg person burns roughly 50% more calories running the same pace as a 60 kg person. This is why calorie calculators require weight as an input.
How many calories do I need to burn to lose 1 kg of body fat?
One kilogram of body fat stores approximately 7,700 kilocalories of energy. To lose 1 kg through exercise alone, you would need to burn a cumulative deficit of 7,700 kcal above your maintenance intake. In practice, a combination of moderate calorie reduction and increased activity is the most sustainable approach to fat loss.
Does the calculator account for calories burned after exercise?
No. The result only reflects active calorie burn during the session. After intense exercise, your metabolism remains elevated for minutes to hours in a process called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). HIIT and heavy resistance training produce the greatest EPOC effect, meaning your total daily calorie burn exceeds the workout total shown here.

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