About this Calories Burned
Knowing how many calories you burn during a workout helps you manage your weight and fuel your body properly. This calculator estimates energy expenditure for popular activities based on your body weight and duration.
Who this calculator is for
- People estimating workout calorie burn from common activities.
- Anyone comparing how duration and body weight change exercise energy use.
- People pairing exercise output with a broader weight-management plan.
When to use it
- Use this calculator after a workout to estimate energy expenditure.
- Use it when comparing activities like walking, running, or cycling.
- Use it to sanity-check exercise calories before using them in a nutrition plan.
How to use this calculator
- Select your Activity from the list (e.g., Running, Cycling, Yoga).
- Enter your Weight (heavier bodies burn more energy).
- Enter the Duration of the exercise in minutes.
- The result shows total calories (kcal) burned.
Key assumptions
- The estimate uses average MET-style activity values rather than your exact heart rate or lab-tested burn rate.
- Body weight and duration are the main drivers in this simplified model.
- Actual burn varies with fitness level, intensity, terrain, and workout efficiency.
Accuracy and testing
Review formula sources, default test cases, assumptions, unit handling, rounding rules, and changelog for this calculator.
How this calculator works
This calculator uses the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method.
Formula: Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours).
1 MET is the energy you burn at rest (BMR). An activity with 8 METs burns 8 times more energy than sitting still.
Inputs explained
Activity
The type and intensity of exercise. Higher intensity = Higher MET value.
Weight
Your current body weight. Moving more mass requires more energy.
Duration
How long you performed the activity.
Understanding your results
The result is a gross estimate. It includes the calories you would have burned anyway just by existing (BMR). If you run for an hour and burn 600 calories, that includes the ~70 calories you would have burned sitting on the couch.
Example scenarios
Running 6mph
160 lb person, 30 mins. MET 9.8. Burn ≈ 350 kcal.
Walking 3mph
160 lb person, 60 mins. MET 3.5. Burn ≈ 250 kcal.
Key Features
- MET-based calculation
- Supports various activities
- Weight adjusted
Things to Keep in Mind
Assumes average metabolic efficiency. Individual factors like muscle mass, age, and fitness level can skew actual burns.
Tips & Best Practices
- Intensity matters. A 'vigorous' effort burns significantly more than a 'moderate' effort for the same activity.
- Don't eat back all your exercise calories if trying to lose weight. Trackers often overestimate burns by 20% or more.
- Heart rate monitors generally provide more accurate, personalized data than MET calculators.
Glossary of Terms
- MET
- Metabolic Equivalent of Task. A unit used to estimate the metabolic cost (oxygen consumption) of physical activity.
- Kcal
- Kilocalorie. The standard unit of energy used in nutrition labels and exercise science (often just called 'calorie').