Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories burned in common activities from your weight and how long you exercise.
About the Calories Burned Calculator
Choose an activity, enter your weight and how many minutes you did it. The calculator shows the calories burned, the rate per hour and the activity's MET value.
A MET (metabolic equivalent) is the energy you use at rest; an activity's MET value says how many times more it uses. Running at 6 mph is 9.8 METs, so it burns about 9.8 times your resting rate. Values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard research reference.
The formula
kcal = MET × 3.5 × weight (kg) × minutes ÷ 200
- MET
- the activity's energy cost as a multiple of resting
- 3.5
- mL of oxygen per kg per minute at rest (1 MET)
- ÷ 200
- converts oxygen used to kilocalories (about 5 kcal per litre)
Worked example
Running at 6 mph (9.7 km/h) for 30 minutes, weighing 70 kg
- MET 9.8
- 9.8 × 3.5 × 70 × 30 ÷ 200 = 360 kcal
- That's about 720 kcal an hour
Things to keep in mind
- Individual results vary with fitness, technique and terrain; fitness trackers also estimate.
- This is total energy during the activity, including what you'd burn at rest anyway.
Questions people ask
Why is my watch different?
Watches use heart rate and their own models; both are estimates.
Does a heavier person burn more?
Yes, moving more mass takes more energy.
How many calories are in a kilogram of fat?
Roughly 7,700 kcal, but weight change also depends on water and muscle, so it isn't an exact exchange rate.