How accurate are the calorie estimates?

Within about ±15% for a typical adult. Actual calorie burn varies with individual fitness (fit people are more efficient and burn slightly less), terrain (hills add significantly to cycling and running), weather (heat raises burn), and actual effort level (a 'moderate' pace for one person is 'intense' for another). Treat all calorie estimates as planning guides, not exact measurements.

Do fitness watches give the same result as this calculator?

Fitness watches use your heart rate and accelerometer data and tend to be closer to real burn for steady-state cardio activities (running, cycling). They are generally less accurate for strength training, yoga, and stop-start activities. Neither method is perfect — both give estimates in the same 10–20% accuracy band. Use whichever is more convenient and stick to it for consistent tracking.

Does body weight matter for calorie burn?

Yes, significantly. Heavier people burn more calories at the same activity because moving more body mass requires more energy — this is why the formula multiplies by weight. A 90 kg person running a mile burns roughly 50% more calories than a 60 kg person running the same mile at the same pace. Weight change also changes calorie burn for the same workout.

How can I burn more calories?

Three levers: (1) exercise longer, (2) exercise at higher intensity, (3) add strength training to raise resting metabolism over time. Combining higher-intensity intervals with longer base sessions maximizes total weekly burn. Remember that exercise alone rarely produces large weight loss — diet creates the bigger deficit, with exercise expanding it and preserving muscle.

Do I need to exercise to lose weight?

No, but it helps. Weight loss is driven by calorie deficit, which can be created by eating less, exercising more, or both. Diet typically creates the larger share of the deficit; exercise preserves muscle during fat loss, improves cardiovascular health, and makes maintenance easier long-term. The best outcomes come from combining moderate calorie restriction with consistent exercise.

What is the difference between MET-based and heart-rate-based calorie estimates?

MET-based estimates use your activity type, intensity level, weight, and duration — they don't require any heart-rate data. Heart-rate-based estimates use your real-time beats per minute to infer work output, calibrated against your personal max HR. Both have merit; MET-based is easier (no monitor required), heart-rate-based responds to actual effort in the moment.

Does the MET value change with fitness level?

MET values are intensity labels for activities, not personal energy expenditures. A fit person running 6 mph still uses the 'running at 6 mph' MET value, but may find it subjectively easier. As fitness improves, you can do higher-MET activities for longer — which is where the real calorie increase comes from (more duration, higher intensity), not from a change in MET values themselves.

Calories Burned Calculator

Health

Estimate calories burned for any activity using MET values and duration.

Health

Calories Burned Calculator

Generated on April 24, 2026

Activity

Weight (kg)

Duration (minutes)

?What is the Calories Burned Calculator?

A calories-burned calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values from the Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate calorie expenditure for any specified exercise or daily activity. One MET equals the energy used sitting quietly at rest; a 7-MET activity burns seven times that rate. By combining the MET value of your activity with your body weight and the duration, the calculator produces a practical estimate — within about ±15% of actual calorie burn — that is perfect for planning workouts, reconciling calorie balance during weight loss, and comparing the energy cost of different activities.

The Formula

Calories = (MET × 3.5 × Weight in kg ÷ 200) × Duration in Minutes.

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) expresses exercise intensity as a multiple of resting oxygen consumption, where 1 MET equals 3.5 ml O₂ per kg body weight per minute. The formula converts that oxygen usage into calories: the factor of 3.5 converts METs to ml O₂/kg/min, the constant 200 combines the caloric cost of oxygen (about 5 kcal per liter) with minute-to-hour unit handling. The result is total calories burned during the specified duration — heavier people burn more at the same activity because moving more mass takes more energy.

Practical Examples

A 70 kg person running at 5 mph (MET 8.3) for 30 minutes burns approximately 305 kcal — a solid morning run.

An 80 kg moderate cyclist (MET 8) for 45 minutes burns about 420 kcal — a relaxed pleasure ride.

A 60 kg person doing yoga (MET 2.5) for 60 minutes burns approximately 158 kcal — gentle exercise, valuable for flexibility and stress rather than calorie burn.

A 75 kg person vigorous weight lifting (MET 6) for 45 minutes burns about 354 kcal — strength training is more calorically expensive than many people think.

An 85 kg person swimming laps (MET 7) for 40 minutes burns approximately 397 kcal — full-body, joint-friendly cardio.

A 65 kg person walking briskly at 4 mph (MET 4.3) for 60 minutes burns about 293 kcal — an accessible daily workout for all fitness levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — a unit expressing exercise intensity as a multiple of resting metabolism. 1 MET is resting metabolism (approximately 1 kcal per kg body weight per hour). Higher MET values mean more calories burned per minute. Published MET values exist for hundreds of activities in the Compendium of Physical Activities maintained by Arizona State University.

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Calories Burned Calculator

Calories Burned Calculator

?What is the Calories Burned Calculator?

The Formula

Practical Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MET?

How accurate are the calorie estimates?

Do fitness watches give the same result as this calculator?

Does body weight matter for calorie burn?

How can I burn more calories?

Do I need to exercise to lose weight?

What is the difference between MET-based and heart-rate-based calorie estimates?

Does the MET value change with fitness level?

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