A Free Calculator · Performance Math · Updated 2026
How many calories does your workout actually burn?
Calorie burn depends on your body weight, the activity's intensity, and how long you
exercise. Enter those below and the calculator returns total calories burned and your
burn rate per minute — using the MET method from exercise science, with every formula
shown and nothing hidden.
Total calories burned·Calories per minute·MET reference table included
Performance math, not medical advice
This calculator estimates energy expenditure from the MET method — the same approach
used in exercise science research and on most gym equipment. Results are
population-level estimates. Individual burn varies with fitness level, body
composition, running economy, and other factors not captured by weight and MET alone.
This is not medical advice, not weight-loss advice, and not a clinical measurement.
MET values are approximate figures from published compendiums; intensity within
an activity varies considerably.
Calories burned — by activity, weight, and duration
Select an activity (pre-fills an approximate MET), enter your weight and duration, and results update as you type. You can edit the MET directly for any activity not in the list.
Activity
Approximate METs from published compendiums; intensity varies. Select to pre-fill the MET field below, then edit if needed.
Heavier body weight = more calories burned per minute. Toggle the unit to switch between kg and lb.
Duration
min
Whole minutes only is fine; decimals are accepted (e.g. 45.5 for 45 minutes 30 seconds).
Estimated calories burned:
Calories burned
Calories per minute
MET / activity used
The formulas, in full
Nothing here is a black box. These are the exact calculations the tool runs, derived
from the ACSM MET method — the same arithmetic you could do on paper or a spreadsheet.
These are approximate METs drawn from published exercise-science compendiums.
Actual intensity — and therefore actual energy cost — varies with speed, terrain,
fitness level, and individual mechanics.
Activity
Approx. MET
Intensity category
Notes on variability
Walking, leisurely
~2.5
Light
Slow pace, flat surface. Rises to ~3.5 at a brisk 3.5 mph; higher on incline or carrying load.
Walking, brisk
~3.5
Moderate
Roughly 3.5 mph on flat ground. Pace and terrain are the main variables.
Hiking, cross-country
~6.0
Moderate–vigorous
Uneven terrain adds energy cost beyond pace. A pack raises this considerably.
Running, ~5 mph
~8.0
Vigorous
12 min/mile pace on flat ground. Faster paces scale upward steeply (~11 METs at 7 mph).
Cycling, moderate
~7.0
Vigorous
~12–14 mph on flat road. Wind, hills, and drafting cause wide variation.
Swimming, freestyle moderate
~6.0
Moderate–vigorous
Non-weight-bearing; body weight effect is smaller than for running. Stroke and speed matter greatly.
Rowing machine, vigorous
~8.0
Vigorous
Full-body; highly dependent on stroke rate and resistance setting.
Yoga, Hatha
~3.0
Light–moderate
Flow styles (vinyasa) run higher, ~4–5 METs. Restorative yoga is near resting (1–2 METs).
Jump rope, moderate
~8.0
Vigorous
Sustained moderate pace. Rapid or double-under jumping reaches 10+ METs.
Elliptical, moderate
~5.0
Moderate
Machine resistance and incline settings affect actual energy cost significantly.
Approximate METs from published compendiums; intensity varies. Source reference:
Compendium of Physical Activities
(Ainsworth et al.). Individual values can differ from these averages by 15–25% or more.
Why your actual burn may differ from the estimate
The MET formula is widely used and well-validated at the population level, but it is
explicitly a model, not a measurement. Several factors cause real-world deviation.
Fitness level and exercise economy
Trained athletes move more efficiently than beginners — the same running pace costs fewer calories per minute for an experienced runner than for someone new to the activity. The MET formula uses a single value for each activity; it does not know how trained you are. If your actual burn tends to be lower than these estimates, improved exercise economy is the likely reason.
Body composition, not just total weight
The formula uses total body weight as the proxy for metabolic demand. Two people who weigh exactly 70 kg but have different muscle-to-fat ratios will not burn the same number of calories — muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue. Body composition data would sharpen the estimate, but the standard MET formula does not incorporate it.
Environment: heat, humidity, altitude
Working in heat or humidity raises cardiovascular and thermoregulatory costs beyond the mechanical work of the exercise. Altitude increases the oxygen cost of any given effort. Neither is captured in the MET value for a given activity, which is typically measured in controlled lab conditions.
How to get the most accurate estimate
Three inputs drive the result. Getting the MET right matters most; weight and
duration are usually easy to know precisely.
Match the MET to your actual intensity
The dropdown gives approximate values. If you run at a specific pace, find the corresponding MET in the Compendium of Physical Activities and type it into the MET field directly. Pace, terrain, and load all shift the value from the baseline.
Use your actual body weight
Weight is a direct multiplier in the formula — a 5% error in weight produces a 5% error in the calorie estimate. Use your current weight, not a target or remembered figure, and toggle to your preferred unit.
Count only active time, not rest
The formula assumes constant effort for the full duration. If your workout includes rest periods, warm-up, or cool-down at much lower intensity, subtract that time or enter a blended MET. Using only the "moving" portion of a workout gives a more honest estimate.
Treat the result as a useful estimate, not a precise target
Population-level accuracy of MET-based estimates is often ±15–25% for moderate aerobic activities. For nutrition and performance tracking, round to the nearest 10–25 kcal rather than treating the exact figure as measured. The value is in comparing activities and tracking trends, not in the last digit.
Where to buy
Got your numbers? Here's where to pick up what you need:
The units and concepts behind calorie burn estimates — in plain English.
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)
A unit of energy expenditure relative to rest. 1 MET = the energy used sitting quietly. An activity rated 8 METs burns about 8 times the resting energy per kilogram per minute. The Compendium of Physical Activities is the standard reference for published MET values.
Kilocalorie (kcal)
The unit of energy used on food labels and in fitness contexts — what people casually call a "calorie." One kcal is 1,000 scientific calories (cal). All calorie burn figures in this calculator are in kcal.
VO₂ / oxygen consumption
The volume of oxygen your body consumes per minute, typically expressed as mL O₂ per kg of body weight per minute (mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). Resting VO₂ is conventionally estimated as 3.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ — the MET_VO2_FACTOR used in the formula on this page. Higher aerobic fitness raises VO₂ max, which sets the ceiling for sustained exercise intensity.
Gross vs net calorie burn
Gross calories burned includes your baseline resting metabolism throughout the exercise period. Net calories burned subtracts that baseline — it is what you burned above and beyond what you would have burned at rest. This calculator reports gross calories, matching the convention used by most fitness apps and gym equipment.
EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption)
The elevation in metabolic rate that persists after exercise ends, sometimes called the "afterburn." EPOC is real but modest for most activities — commonly 6–15% of the calories burned during exercise for aerobic activities, higher after very intense intervals. This calculator covers the exercise bout only; EPOC is not estimated here.
Exercise economy
How efficiently your body performs a movement — the energy cost per unit of work. A runner with good economy uses fewer calories per mile than someone with poor mechanics at the same pace. Economy improves with training and is one reason the MET formula systematically overestimates burn for well-trained athletes.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
The calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain basic functions — breathing, circulation, cell maintenance. BMR accounts for 60–75% of daily energy expenditure. Exercise burn (this calculator) is separate from BMR. Total daily energy expenditure = BMR + activity burn + thermic effect of food.
Frequently asked
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — a unit that compares an activity's energy cost to resting. The formula is: kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × weight_kg ÷ 200. Multiply by duration in minutes to get total calories. For a 70 kg person jogging at MET 8.0 for 30 minutes: 8.0 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 9.8 kcal/min × 30 = 294 kcal. The 3.5 is a conventional resting oxygen consumption value (mL O₂·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹), and dividing by 200 converts the oxygen-based unit into kcal. This formula is used in exercise science and is the basis of most gym equipment estimates, though individual metabolism and fitness cause real variation.
The MET formula gives a population-level estimate — useful for comparing activities or tracking trends, but not a precise individual measurement. Fitness level, body composition, heat, humidity, terrain, and exercise efficiency all push real burn above or below the estimate. Studies suggest MET-based estimates are accurate to within roughly 15–25% for moderate aerobic activities. The most precise individual measurement comes from lab indirect calorimetry, which is not practical for daily use. Treat this calculator's output as a useful directional figure, rounded to the nearest 10–25 kcal rather than read to the single digit.
A MET value represents an activity's oxygen consumption relative to rest. Sitting quietly = 1 MET; a 2-MET activity burns twice the resting energy; and so on. MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research database that has catalogued hundreds of activities based on measured oxygen consumption studies. The values used here are labeled approximate because intensity within an activity varies considerably — a casual walk might be 2.5 METs while a brisk walk is 3.5–4.3 METs. The compendium itself acknowledges substantial inter-individual variability.
A heavier person burns more calories doing the same activity because it takes more energy to move a larger mass. Weight appears as a direct multiplier in the formula — a 90 kg person burns roughly 29% more per minute than a 70 kg person at the same MET. This effect is largest for weight-bearing activities like running, where you move your full body weight each stride. In non-weight-bearing activities like cycling or swimming, some of that mass is supported by equipment or water, so the weight effect is somewhat smaller in practice.
In everyday nutrition and fitness contexts, "calorie" almost always means kilocalorie (kcal) — 1,000 times the scientific calorie (cal). Food labels, gym equipment, and fitness apps all report in kcal and call them "calories." This calculator uses kcal throughout, matching the convention you see on food labels and in exercise science literature. When a 30-minute run "burns 294 calories," that is 294 kcal — a large, nutritional-context calorie, not a tiny scientific one.
Intensity is captured by the MET value — higher MET means more calories per minute at any given weight. Running at 7 mph (~11 METs) burns roughly twice the calories per minute of a brisk walk (~3.5 METs). Intensity also shifts the fuel mix: lower-intensity aerobic work burns a higher proportion of fat relative to carbohydrate; high-intensity work burns more carbohydrate but more total calories per minute. After high-intensity exercise, EPOC can add calories burned for hours afterward — a real effect, though often overstated. The MET formula estimates calories during the workout only; EPOC is not included here.
The MET formula gives gross calorie burn — total calories including the baseline your body would have burned at rest anyway. Net burn subtracts that resting baseline. For nutrition tracking, net burn is more meaningful because you'd have burned those baseline calories regardless of exercise. The difference is modest for short sessions but meaningful for long ones: a 90-minute yoga class might show ~180 gross kcal but only ~90 net kcal above rest. This calculator reports gross calories, matching the convention used by most fitness apps and gym equipment — keep that in mind when comparing to food label values.
Yes — the MET field is fully editable. Select any activity from the dropdown to pre-fill a starting value, then overwrite it with any figure from the Compendium of Physical Activities, your sport's published research, or a value from a fitness tracker. Tracker algorithms vary — most incorporate heart rate and motion data rather than pure METs — but the resulting estimate plugs directly into the same formula, so you can use whatever intensity figure you trust most.
Common mistakes
The MET method is a population average tied to a specific activity description.
The most common errors come from mismatching the activity to its MET value or
from forgetting that body weight is the primary driver of the output.
Choosing an activity MET that doesn't match your actual intensity
MET values are assigned to specific activity descriptions — "walking, 3.5 mph, level" carries a different value than "walking uphill, moderate grade." Picking the closest-sounding label rather than the closest-fitting description is the most common input error. When in doubt, choose the activity description whose pace or effort level best matches your actual workout, not the one whose name is most familiar.
Using estimated duration rather than actual workout time
Calorie output scales linearly with time — a 10-minute error in a 45-minute session is a 22% overcount. The estimate reflects sustained activity time. Time spent stretching, resting between sets, or standing at a water fountain is not the same activity and should not be included in the duration. Use actual moving time for the most accurate estimate.
Forgetting that body weight is a large multiplier
The formula is: MET × body weight (kg) × hours. A 90 kg person burns 50% more calories per hour at the same MET than a 60 kg person — not slightly more, dramatically more. If your weight has changed significantly since you last ran the calculation, the output will be proportionally off. Update the weight input regularly.
Using the number to justify eating back every calorie
MET estimates have a built-in error range. Fitness trackers, smartwatches, and this type of formula typically report calories burned from activity only — not calories burned at rest (basal metabolic rate) during the same period. If your goal is calorie balance, factor in the full day's expenditure, not just the workout. Treating the exercise estimate as a precise credit to be "eaten back" is where most people overcorrect.