Calorie Burn Calculator
Calculate exactly how many calories you burn doing any exercise — from walking to HIIT to swimming. Uses validated MET values.
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This is not medical advice — talk to your doctor. The sections below are educational estimates only. Calorie burn estimates are approximate and vary by fitness level, body composition, and effort. This tool does not set an exercise program or a calorie target. If you have a health condition, talk to your doctor before changing your activity.
How Calorie Burn Is Calculated (The MET Formula)
This calculator uses the standard MET (metabolic equivalent) method. One MET is the energy you burn sitting still. An activity with a MET of 5 burns about 5 times that rate. The formula is:
Calories burned = (MET × 3.5 × weight in kg × minutes) ÷ 200
3.5 is a conversion constant; 200 converts to kcal.
MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a published reference of activity intensities. The calculator above applies this formula using validated MET values for common activities, so you do not need to look up METs yourself.
Calorie Burn by Exercise Category
The table below shows approximate calories burned per 30 minutes for a 70 kg (154 lb) adult, grouped by intensity category. Values are estimates; actual burn varies with weight, effort, and fitness level.
| Intensity category | Example activities | Cal / 30 min (70 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Light (MET 2.5 to 4) | Yoga, easy walking, Pilates | ~110 to 170 |
| Moderate (MET 5 to 7) | Brisk walking, weight training, dancing | ~220 to 310 |
| Vigorous (MET 8 to 10) | Running, cycling, swimming laps | ~350 to 440 |
| Very vigorous (MET 11+) | HIIT, jump rope, fast running | ~485 to 540 |
For a detailed per-activity MET table, see the Calorie Burn by Activity Calculator.
Worked Example
A 70 kg person runs at 5 mph (a 12-minute mile, MET 8.3) for 30 minutes.
Calories = (8.3 × 3.5 × 70 × 30) ÷ 200
= (8.3 × 3.5 × 2,100) ÷ 200
= 61,005 ÷ 200
≈ 305 calories burned
This is an estimate. A fitter runner may burn slightly less at the same pace because their body is more efficient, and a heavier runner burns more because weight is a direct multiplier in the formula.
What Affects Calorie Burn: Weight, Intensity, Duration
Three variables drive the MET formula. Understanding each helps you interpret your result:
- Weight — a direct multiplier. A heavier person burns more calories at the same activity and duration.
- Intensity (MET) — higher-intensity activities have higher MET values and burn more per minute.
- Duration — a direct multiplier. Twice the time burns roughly twice the calories at the same intensity.
Fitness level also plays a role: as you become more efficient at an activity, you may burn slightly fewer calories at the same pace, which is why progressively increasing intensity helps maintain a burn stimulus.
Using Calorie Burn Data for Weight Loss
Exercise calories are one part of the weight loss equation, not the whole picture. A few honest points:
- Weight loss depends on your total calorie balance, not exercise alone.
- Exercise burns are estimates and are often overestimated; avoid eating all of them back.
- Your TDEE already includes general activity, so be careful not to double-count.
- Strength training adds muscle, which raises resting burn slightly over time.
- For a target, a 300 to 500 calorie daily deficit is a common sustainable range.
Use the TDEE Calculator to find your daily burn, then the Calorie Deficit Calculator to set a target. This is not medical advice — talk to your doctor before starting a weight loss plan.