Calories Burned CalculatorFree online fitness & health calculator — instant results, no sign-up
Calories burned during an activity using MET values.
For general information only. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, dosing guidance or a treatment recommendation. Talk to a doctor or other qualified health professional about your health, pregnancy, or diet.
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About the Calories Burned Calculator
The Calories Burned Calculator estimates the total energy expenditure during physical exercise based on Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values. It is designed for individuals tracking workout exertion, managing energy balance, or planning exercise sessions.
- Weight
- Body mass of the participant in kilograms (kg), typically ranging from 30 to 250 kg.
- Activity
- The specific exercise performed, selected from predefined activities mapped to standard MET intensities.
- Duration
- Total length of the exercise session in minutes, typically ranging from 1 to 300 minutes.
Formula and method
Calories burned (kcal) = MET × Weight (kg) × (Duration (minutes) / 60)
- METMetabolic Equivalent of Task assigned to the chosen activity
- Weight (kg)Body mass in kilograms
- Duration (minutes)Length of the activity session in minutes
The calculator retrieves the fixed MET coefficient corresponding to the selected activity (such as 3.5 for 5 km/h walking or 9.8 for 10 km/h running). It then multiplies this MET value by your body weight in kilograms and the duration converted to hours. The resulting estimate is rounded to the nearest whole kilocalorie.
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values and the results it actually produces for them.
Inputs
- Weight75 kg
- ActivityWalking (5 km/h)
- Duration30 minutes
Results
- Calories burned131 kcal
- MET value3.5
How to use the Calories Burned Calculator
- 1Select your physical activity to assign its standardized MET intensity.
- 2Input your current body weight in kilograms.
- 3Enter the workout duration in minutes.
- 4Evaluate the estimated calories burned and the activity's assigned MET level.
Reading your result
The primary output shows the gross energy expenditure in kilocalories (kcal) for the entire session. A higher MET value reflects greater exercise intensity, meaning more calories are consumed per minute for a given body weight.
Limitations
The calculation relies on population-average MET constants and gross energy expenditure, without subtracting baseline resting metabolic rate. It does not account for individual differences in age, biological sex, body fat percentage, environmental conditions, or personal mechanical efficiency.
Common questions
What is a MET value?+
A Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) is an objective measure of the energy cost of physical activity, where 1 MET represents the energy expended while sitting quietly at rest (roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour).
Does this estimate gross or net calories burned?+
This formula calculates gross calories burned, which includes both the energy required for the activity and your baseline resting metabolism during that time window.
Why do heavier individuals burn more calories for the same exercise?+
Moving more mass requires more mechanical work and oxygen consumption, so total energy expenditure scales directly with body weight for weight-bearing activities.
Does the calculator save my information?+
Calculations run in your browser. While signed in, inputs and results are automatically recorded in account history; saving a result creates a separate saved record.
Further reading
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Results are estimates for informational purposes and are not financial, medical or legal advice.