Exercise Calorie Calculator

What is a MET value?

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It tells you how many times more energy an activity uses than sitting quietly at rest. One MET is defined from resting oxygen uptake, about 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, which works out to roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 8.3 METs, like the running used here, therefore costs about 8.3 times as much energy as sitting still, and yoga at 2.5 costs about two and a half times as much. Published MET values are collected in the Compendium of Physical Activities, and the numbers on this page are representative mid-range values taken from that kind of listing. Most activities have several entries depending on speed and effort, so each value here is an assumption for a moderate version of the activity. Freestyle swimming, for example, spans a wide range from easy to vigorous laps, and 8.3 is a rough middle figure.

The formula, step by step

Calories burned (kcal) = MET x body weight (kg) x time (hours)

The time must be in hours, not minutes: 30 minutes is 0.5 hours and 45 minutes is 0.75 hours.

• Example 1. A 65 kg person running (MET 8.3) for 30 minutes burns 8.3 x 65 x 0.5 = 269.75, about 270 kcal. Walking for the same half hour (MET 3.5) gives 3.5 x 65 x 0.5 = 113.75, about 114 kcal, less than half as much.
• Example 2. A 70 kg person cycling (MET 6.8) for one hour burns 6.8 x 70 x 1 = 476 kcal. An 80 kg person doing weight training (MET 3.5) for one hour burns 3.5 x 80 x 1 = 280 kcal.
• Example 3. A 55 kg person jumping rope (MET 11.0) for 15 minutes (0.25 h) burns 11 x 55 x 0.25 = 151.25, about 151 kcal. Even in a short session, a high-intensity activity can beat a longer easy one: the same person walking for 30 minutes uses 3.5 x 55 x 0.5, about 96 kcal.

Total burn versus net burn

The formula gives the total energy spent during the activity. That total includes the energy your body would have used anyway if you had sat on the sofa, which is 1 MET. To see only what the exercise added, subtract it: net calories = (MET - 1) x weight x hours. For the 65 kg runner above, the total is 270 kcal, but the net is (8.3 - 1) x 65 x 0.5 = 237.25, about 237 kcal. The gap matters most for low-intensity activities, where the resting portion is a bigger share of the total. If you are comparing a workout with a snack, the net figure is the more honest one, and it is shown in the result as "Net above resting".

Calories for 30 minutes by body weight

The table below was calculated at build time with MET x weight x 0.5 hours. All values are total kcal.

In order of intensity, Jump rope, Running (8 km/h), Swimming (freestyle) lead the list, and Weight training and Yoga sit at the bottom. A low MET does not mean an activity is pointless. Gentle activities are easier to keep up for long stretches, carry a lower injury risk, and across a whole week can add up to more than a hard workout you only manage once. One kilogram is about 2.2 pounds, so if you know your weight in pounds, divide by 2.2046 before entering it.

Why this estimate can be off

• MET values are averages. They come from measurements on groups of people, so fitness, skill and body composition cause individual differences. A skilled swimmer and a beginner do not spend the same energy over the same distance.
• Intensity is not captured. This tool uses one representative number per activity. Running at 8 km/h and at 12 km/h are very different, and cycling, swimming, hiking (slope, backpack) and jump rope also vary a lot with conditions. If your real effort is higher or lower than the representative value, so is the real burn.
• Only weight is used. Fat and muscle are not distinguished, so two people with the same weight but different muscle mass may burn different amounts.
• Rest time is included in the clock. In weight training, rests between sets are long. If you enter the whole time you spent in the gym, the result will be too high. Enter the time you were actually working.
• Why a watch shows a different number. A wearable estimates from heart rate and motion, while this calculator estimates from an average for the activity. Neither is a direct measurement, and both have a margin of error.

How to read the body fat equivalent

A common rule of thumb says a kilogram of body fat holds about 7,700 kcal, and the "body fat equivalent" chip uses the same figure. On that basis, a 65 kg person running for 30 minutes (about 270 kcal) would need roughly 28 to 29 such sessions to burn the energy of one kilogram of fat. Real weight changes depend on food intake, water, muscle changes and metabolic adaptation, so they rarely match this simple conversion. Exercise on its own tends to produce smaller changes than people expect, and it works best together with changes in eating habits.

More time or more intensity?

There are many ways to spend 270 kcal for a 65 kg person. Running (MET 8.3) takes 30 minutes, while walking (MET 3.5) needs 270 / (3.5 x 65), about 1.19 hours or 71 minutes. If you are short of time, raising intensity is more efficient. If your joints or fitness limit you, adding time is safer. Beginners are generally advised to build up weekly time first and then increase intensity gradually, because a sudden jump in intensity raises injury risk. The World Health Organization recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, and this calculator gives a feel for what that means in calories. A 65 kg person walking 150 minutes per week uses 3.5 x 65 x 2.5, about 569 kcal.

When not to rely on this calculator

• If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, joint problems or any condition that limits your exercise intensity, follow your doctor's advice on intensity rather than a calorie target.
• If you are pregnant or under 18, these adult-average figures may not fit you.
• For athletes who need precise energy balance, laboratory measurement such as breath gas analysis is required.

How to use the result

• Use the comparison table to see which activity gives the most for the time you have, then pick one you can keep doing.
• To set a daily eating target, first find your maintenance calories with the BMR and TDEE calculator. Treat exercise calories as a rough extra, not as an exact allowance to eat back, because the errors accumulate.
• To manage effort by heart rate, use the heart rate zone calculator.
• For walking, try the steps calorie calculator; for a running target, the running pace calculator.
• For the whole day's intake, see the calorie calculator.

Important notice

The results are rough estimates based on average MET values, for general information only. They are not medical advice. If you have health concerns or are starting a new exercise program, talk to a qualified professional. What you enter is calculated in your browser and is not sent to a server.

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