Calorie Burn Calculator
Select an activity, enter your weight and duration to find out how many calories you burned.
How Calorie Burn Is Calculated
This calculator uses MET values (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) — a standardised measure of how much energy an activity requires relative to rest. A MET of 1 equals the energy cost of sitting still (approximately 1 kcal per kg per hour). An activity with a MET of 8 burns eight times that amount.
The formula is: Calories = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours). So a 75 kg person running at a MET of 9.8 for 30 minutes burns 9.8 × 75 × 0.5 = 368 kcal. MET values in this calculator come from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011), the most comprehensive reference for exercise energy expenditure.
The result is a gross calorie estimate — it includes the calories you would have burned at rest during that time. Net calories burned (additional burn above resting) are around 10–15% lower. For most practical purposes — calorie tracking, meal planning — the gross figure is what people use.
MET Values Reference
MET values vary by intensity. The table below shows approximate ranges for common activity categories.
| Activity category | MET range | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting, desk work | 1.3 – 1.8 | Sedentary |
| Walking (slow–moderate) | 2.5 – 4.5 | Light |
| Yoga, stretching | 2.5 – 4.0 | Light |
| Cycling (leisure) | 4.0 – 6.0 | Moderate |
| Weight training | 3.5 – 6.0 | Moderate |
| Running (8 km/h) | 8.0 | Vigorous |
| Running (12+ km/h) | 11.0 – 16.0 | Very vigorous |
| Swimming (vigorous) | 10.0 | Very vigorous |
| HIIT / CrossFit | 8.0 – 12.0 | Very vigorous |
Worked Examples
Example 1: 30-minute run at 10 km/h, 70 kg person. MET = 9.8. Calories = 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 kcal.
Example 2: 45-minute weight training session, 85 kg person. MET = 5.0. Calories = 5.0 × 85 × 0.75 = 319 kcal.
Example 3: 60-minute yoga class, 60 kg person. MET = 3.5. Calories = 3.5 × 60 × 1.0 = 210 kcal.
Frequently Asked Questions
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MET-based estimates are accurate to within roughly ±20–30% for most people. Individual variation in fitness level, body composition, efficiency, and terrain can significantly affect actual calorie expenditure. For precise measurements, a metabolic cart or calibrated wearable device gives better results.
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Heavier people burn more calories doing the same activity because they move more mass. A 100 kg person running burns roughly twice as many calories as a 50 kg person running at the same pace, because the energy cost scales proportionally with weight.
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Yes. Fitter people tend to be more mechanically efficient — they burn fewer calories performing the same task because their body has adapted to do it more economically. This is why a beginner runner may burn more calories than an elite runner at the same speed.
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It depends on your goal. If you are trying to lose weight, partially eating back exercise calories (around 50–75%) is often recommended to avoid under-fuelling while maintaining a deficit. If you are maintaining weight or building muscle, eating back most exercise calories supports performance and recovery.
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Yes. Both use the kilocalorie (kcal) unit, commonly called a "calorie" in everyday usage. A food label showing 200 calories means 200 kcal, and a calculator showing 300 calories burned means 300 kcal. The units are the same.
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HIIT burns more calories per minute during the session due to its high intensity. It also produces a greater post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect — sometimes called the "afterburn" — where calorie burn stays elevated for up to 24 hours after exercise. Steady-state cardio burns calories more predictably but has less EPOC effect.