Calories burned calculator
Calories burned calculator: by activity, weight and time
To estimate calories burned, multiply an activity's MET value by your body weight in kilograms and by the hours you spend on it. This calculator does that for 21 common activities using MET values from the 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities. Real burn varies with fitness, terrain and technique.
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How do I calculate calories burned?
Multiply the activity's MET value by your weight in kilograms and by the time in hours. For example, brisk walking at 4.8 METs for 1 hour at 70 kg burns about 336 calories. That counts your resting energy too. To count only the extra, use MET minus 1.
How many calories does walking burn?
At a moderate pace of 2.8 to 3.4 mph, walking is 3.8 METs, and a brisk walk at 3.5 to 3.9 mph is 4.8 METs. For a 70 kg person, an hour burns about 266 and 336 calories. Distance and speed matter more than steps, and our steps guide shows the maths.
See how many calories 10,000 steps burn.
What is a MET?
A MET, or metabolic equivalent, compares the energy of an activity with sitting at rest, which is 1 MET. Running at 6 mph is about 9.3 METs, meaning roughly nine times resting energy. The Compendium of Physical Activities lists average MET values measured in studies, so individual results differ.
Why do fitness trackers show different numbers?
Trackers estimate burn from heart rate, movement and your profile, and each device uses its own method. This calculator uses average MET values and your weight only, so the two will rarely match. Neither is exact. Pick one source and track the trend, and remember that eating back all burned calories can erase a deficit.
Plan your intake with the calorie deficit calculator.
| Activity | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| Walking, moderate pace (2.8 to 3.4 mph) | 3.8 | 17190 |
| Walking, brisk (3.5 to 3.9 mph) | 4.8 | 17200 |
| Running, 5.0 to 5.2 mph (12 min per mile) | 8.5 | 12030 |
| Running, 6 to 6.3 mph (10 min per mile) | 9.3 | 12050 |
| Running, 7 mph (8.5 min per mile) | 11.0 | 12070 |
| Cycling, leisure, 10 to 11.9 mph | 6.8 | 01020 |
| Cycling, moderate, 12 to 13.9 mph | 8.0 | 01030 |
| Cycling, fast, 14 to 15.9 mph | 10.0 | 01040 |
| Swimming laps, freestyle, slow | 5.8 | 18240 |
| Swimming laps, freestyle, fast | 9.8 | 18230 |
| Weight training, multiple exercises, 8 to 15 reps | 3.5 | 02054 |
| Weight training, vigorous | 6.0 | 02050 |
| Yoga, Hatha | 2.3 | 02150 |
| Yoga, Vinyasa | 2.7 | 02185 |
| High intensity interval training, moderate effort | 7.0 | 02210 |
| Aerobic exercise, general | 7.3 | 02000 |
| Elliptical trainer, moderate effort | 5.0 | 02048 |
| Badminton, social singles and doubles | 5.5 | 15030 |
| Soccer, casual | 7.0 | 15610 |
| Basketball, game | 8.0 | 15040 |
| Tennis, singles | 8.0 | 15690 |
Log what you eat in the app
A target only helps if you know what you eat. AI Calorie estimates calories and macros from a photo or a short description. It is free to start with daily limits: see pricing. This calculator is not medical advice; see medical review.
Sources
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. "2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities." Journal of Sport and Health Science 2024;13(1):6-12. pacompendium.com
AI Calorie gives general nutrition information and AI-generated estimates. It is not medical advice. See medical review and our Terms of Use.