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🏋️ Calories Burned Calculator

Calculate how many calories you burn during exercise using MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values. Choose from 40+ activities across walking, cycling, swimming, gym, sports, and everyday activities.

MET Calorie Formula

Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) represents the ratio of energy expended during an activity relative to sitting at rest (1 MET = 1 kcal/kg/hour). MET values are from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011).

How to Use the Calories Burned Calculator

  1. 1
    Enter Your Weight
    Enter your body weight in kg or lbs. Your weight directly affects calorie expenditure — heavier individuals burn more calories for the same activity.
  2. 2
    Select Your Activity
    Choose from 40+ activities grouped by category. Each activity has a specific MET value based on its intensity.
  3. 3
    Enter Duration
    Enter how many minutes you performed the activity. Use the total active time, excluding rest periods.
  4. 4
    View Your Burn
    See total calories burned, the MET intensity level, and calories per minute. Compare to common food items for context.

Example Calculation

A 70 kg person running at 6 mph (MET 9.8) for 30 minutes:

Duration in hours = 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 hours
Calories = 9.8 × 70 × 0.5
Calories = 343 kcal
Per minute = 343 ÷ 30 = 11.4 kcal/min

Frequently Asked Questions

MET is a unit that measures the energy cost of physical activities relative to sitting at rest (1 MET = 1 kcal/kg/hour). An activity with MET 4 burns 4 times as many calories as sitting. MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a widely used research database.

The MET formula provides a reasonable estimate but individual calorie burn varies by fitness level, age, and metabolism. Well-trained athletes burn fewer calories for the same activity than beginners, because their bodies are more efficient. Calorie counts can vary ±20% from actual expenditure.

High-intensity activities have the highest MET values and burn the most calories per hour. Running at 8 mph (MET 11.8), vigorous swimming (MET 9.8), and HIIT (MET 8.0) are among the top calorie burners. Total calories also depend on duration — a longer moderate session can burn more than a short intense one.

Calories burned refers to total energy expenditure during exercise. Fat burned depends on the proportion of energy coming from fat vs carbohydrates. Lower-intensity exercise burns a higher percentage of fat, but high-intensity exercise burns more total calories and more total fat in the same time period. Overall calorie deficit is the primary driver of fat loss.

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