Calories Burned Calculator
Calorie burn is three numbers multiplied: the activity's MET value (its metabolic cost), your body weight in kilograms, and the hours you do it. Walking at 3 mph is 3.5 METs, so a 70 kg person on a one-hour walk burns 3.5 × 70 ≈ 245 kcal; the same person running at 8 mph burns nearly 700. Pick an activity, enter weight and duration, and this calculator returns the burn along with the per-10-minute rate and a food-equivalent for honest perspective.
The MET table here covers twelve common activities from housework to HIIT, with a custom slot for anything the Compendium of Physical Activities lists. The note keeps the honesty: MET figures are population averages, and real burn moves 10-20% with intensity, fitness and terrain - a range that matters more the longer the session. Your last activity and weight persist on the device for daily logging, and the page pairs with the TDEE and macro calculators for the intake side of the equation.
How to use
- Pick your activity - or enter a custom MET value.
- Enter body weight (kg or lb) and the duration in minutes.
- Read the calories burned, per-10-minute rate and food equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
How are calories burned calculated?
kcal = MET × weight in kg × hours. MET (metabolic equivalent of task) expresses energy cost as a multiple of rest - 1 MET is roughly 1 kcal per kg per hour. The calculator applies exactly this formula and shows the substituted arithmetic in the note.
How accurate are MET-based estimates?
Within 10-20% for most people - MET values are lab averages, and individual burn varies with fitness, effort and terrain. Treat the output as a planning figure, not a receipt; consistency across activities matters more than absolute precision.
Why does body weight matter so much?
Moving more mass costs more energy at the same pace - the kg term multiplies directly. A 100 kg runner burns about 40% more than a 70 kg runner over the same 5k at the same speed, which is also why heavier runners see faster initial burn as weight drops.
Do I burn calories differently than my fitness watch says?
Watches add heart-rate data, which captures effort but carries its own error - studies find commercial trackers range widely on burn (some off by 30%+). The MET method is the transparent baseline: no black box, reproducible arithmetic, easy to sanity-check any device against.