Calories Burned Calculator

Calories burned are estimated using the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula: Calories = MET × weight (kg) × durat...

Guides & Reference

How It Works

Calories burned are estimated using the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula: Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours). A 70kg person running at 6 mph (MET 9.8) for 30 minutes burns: 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 calories.

Quick Reference

70kg, 30min running

MET=8, 70×8×0.5

~280 cal

70kg, 1hr cycling

MET=6

~420 cal

70kg, 45min walking

MET=3.5

~184 cal

Tips & Shortcuts

Actual calorie burn varies ±15–20% from these estimates depending on fitness level, age, and individual metabolism.

Bodyweight exercises become less effective calorie burners as you lose weight — adjust your training intensity accordingly.

EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) means high-intensity workouts burn additional calories for hours after stopping.

Common Mistakes

Eating back all exercise calories to a precise number

Exercise calorie estimates have large margins of error. Track trends over weeks, not single-session precision.

Assuming fitness trackers are accurate

Research shows trackers overestimate calorie burn by 20–90% on average. The MET method used here is validated but still approximate.

Frequently Asked Questions

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) measures energy cost relative to rest. A MET of 1 equals rest. Running at 6 mph has a MET of ~9.8 — it burns 9.8× more calories than sitting.

Walking at 3.5 mph burns approximately 280–350 calories per hour for a 155 lb person. Heavier people burn more; terrain and grade significantly affect the total.

Research shows trackers overestimate calorie burn by 20–90%. This calculator uses validated MET values, but individual metabolism varies ±15% from population averages.

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