Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories burned during exercise.
Select an activity type, enter your weight and duration to calculate total calories burned using MET values.
Calories burned during exercise depends on body weight, exercise intensity, duration, and metabolic efficiency. The most widely used measure of exercise intensity is MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) — a standardized ratio comparing activity energy expenditure to resting metabolic rate.
MET-based calorie formula: Calories Burned = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
Why this works: 1 MET = the energy cost of sitting quietly = 1 kcal per kg per hour. An activity with MET of 6 burns 6× the resting rate.
MET values for common activities:
| Activity | MET |
|---|---|
| Sleeping | 0.95 |
| Walking (3.5 mph) | 3.5 |
| Cycling (12–14 mph) | 8.0 |
| Running (6 mph / 10 min mile) | 9.8 |
| Running (8 mph / 7.5 min mile) | 13.5 |
| Swimming (freestyle, moderate) | 6.0 |
| Jump rope (fast) | 12.3 |
| Yoga (Hatha) | 2.5 |
| HIIT training | 8.0–10.0 |
| Rowing (moderate) | 7.0 |
| Basketball (competitive) | 8.0 |
| Weightlifting (vigorous) | 6.0 |
Heart rate reserve method (more personalized): Calories/min = [(0.6309 × HR) + (0.1988 × Weight kg) + (0.2017 × Age) − 55.0969] / 4.184 (Keytel et al. equation for males; separate constants for females)
Worked example: A 75 kg person runs at 6 mph (MET = 9.8) for 45 minutes: Calories = 9.8 × 75 × 0.75 = 551 kcal
HIIT session (MET 9.0) for 30 minutes: Calories = 9.0 × 75 × 0.50 = 338 kcal
Afterburn effect (EPOC): High-intensity exercise elevates metabolism for 12–48 hours post-workout, adding 6–15% to the total calorie burn. The MET formula captures only the exercise period itself.