Calorie Burn Calculator

Calculate calories burned during activities

About Calorie Burn Calculator

A calorie burn calculator estimates energy expended during physical activity based on the activity's MET value (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), your body weight, and duration. It's used to estimate how many calories a specific workout or activity burned.

Formula

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

How It Works

  1. Select the activity you performed (e.g., running, cycling, swimming)
  2. Enter your body weight and how long you did the activity
  3. The calculator looks up the MET value for that activity's intensity
  4. Result multiplies MET × weight in kg × duration in hours for total calories burned

Tips

  • Heavier individuals burn more calories doing the same activity, since the formula scales with body weight
  • MET values assume a 'typical' intensity for an activity — going faster or harder than the standard pace burns more than the estimate
  • Calorie burn estimates from any formula can be off by 10-20% for an individual, since fitness level and efficiency vary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a MET value?

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) measures how many times more energy an activity uses compared to resting. Sitting quietly is 1 MET; brisk walking is about 3.5 METs; running at 6 mph is about 10 METs.

Does a heavier person burn more calories doing the same exercise?

Yes — calorie burn scales directly with body weight in the MET formula, so a heavier person burns more calories than a lighter person doing the identical activity for the identical time.

How accurate are calorie burn calculators?

They provide reasonable estimates based on population averages but can be off by 10-20% for an individual due to differences in fitness level, movement efficiency, and exact intensity.

Does exercise intensity change calories burned?

Yes significantly — a faster running pace or higher resistance level has a higher MET value, so increasing intensity increases calories burned per minute, even at the same duration.

Can I use this to plan a calorie deficit?

Yes, but treat the result as an estimate — combine it with your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) rather than assuming exercise calories are perfectly precise, since overestimating burn is a common reason weight loss stalls.

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Further Reading

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