Calorie Burned Calculator
How Many Calories Did You Burn Today?
Calculate calories burned for 30+ activities instantly using MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Enter your weight, activity, and duration. Get a food equivalent breakdown, WhatsApp share card, and free PDF report.
| Activity | MET | Cal/30min (70kg) | Cal/hour (70kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, moderate (3 mph) | 3.5 | 123 | 245 |
| Brisk walking (4 mph) | 5.0 | 175 | 350 |
| Running, 6 mph | 9.8 | 343 | 686 |
| Running, 8 mph | 11.8 | 413 | 826 |
| Cycling, moderate | 8.0 | 280 | 560 |
| Swimming, vigorous | 9.8 | 343 | 686 |
| HIIT / Circuit training | 8.0 | 280 | 560 |
| Weight training, vigorous | 6.0 | 210 | 420 |
| Yoga | 2.5 | 88 | 175 |
| Stair climbing | 8.8 | 308 | 616 |
Formula: Calories = MET x weight (kg) x time (hours). Values based on 70kg reference weight.
How Calories Burned Are Calculated
The MET formula is widely used because it is validated across thousands of studies, requires no special equipment, and produces reasonably accurate estimates for the general population. It is the same underlying approach used by most fitness tracker apps, though wearables often refine the estimate further by adding heart rate and personal movement data. Both approaches are estimates -- individual calorie burn varies based on fitness level, effort, and physiology.
Use this calculator alongside our Weight Loss Calculator to understand how your exercise calorie burn fits into your overall weight loss or maintenance plan.
What Is a MET Value?
A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a standardised unit that expresses how energy-intensive an activity is relative to resting. Sitting quietly has a MET of 1 -- it is your baseline. An activity with a MET of 8 burns 8 times more energy than sitting still for the same duration.
MET values come from direct measurement of oxygen consumption (VO2) during activities in research laboratories. The Compendium of Physical Activities (originally published by Ainsworth et al. in 1993 and updated since) catalogues thousands of activities with their validated MET values. This makes MET the most standardised and globally recognised method for comparing energy expenditure across different activities and populations.
MET Categories
- Sedentary (MET 1.0-1.5): Sitting, office work, watching TV
- Light (MET 1.5-3.0): Slow walking, light household tasks, cooking
- Moderate (MET 3.0-6.0): Brisk walking, cycling, dancing, weight training
- Vigorous (MET 6.0-9.0): Running, swimming laps, HIIT, stair climbing
- Very vigorous (MET 9+): Fast running, competitive sports, jump rope
Check your cardiovascular fitness level with our VO2 Max Calculator -- higher VO2 max means your body uses oxygen more efficiently, which affects how many calories you burn at each MET level.
Why Body Weight Matters So Much for Calorie Burn
Body weight is directly multiplied in the MET formula because moving a heavier body requires more mechanical work and therefore more energy. A 90kg person burns approximately 29% more calories than a 70kg person doing the exact same activity at the exact same intensity. This is physics, not a health judgement.
This also means that as you lose weight, you burn slightly fewer calories doing the same workout. A common frustration during weight loss is that the same 30-minute run that once burned 350 kcal now burns 290 kcal as your body becomes lighter. This is completely normal and expected. The solution is to gradually increase duration or intensity as fitness improves to maintain total calorie burn. Track your current weight status with our BMI Calculator and plan your calorie targets with our Macro Calculator.
Calorie Burn by Activity -- Full Comparison (70kg Person)
| Activity | MET | 30 Minutes | 60 Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running 8 mph | 11.8 | 413 kcal | 826 kcal |
| Running 6 mph | 9.8 | 343 kcal | 686 kcal |
| Swimming, vigorous | 9.8 | 343 kcal | 686 kcal |
| Stair climbing | 8.8 | 308 kcal | 616 kcal |
| HIIT / Circuit training | 8.0 | 280 kcal | 560 kcal |
| Cycling, moderate | 8.0 | 280 kcal | 560 kcal |
| Weight training, vigorous | 6.0 | 210 kcal | 420 kcal |
| Swimming, leisure | 5.8 | 203 kcal | 406 kcal |
| Brisk walking (4 mph) | 5.0 | 175 kcal | 350 kcal |
| Walking, moderate (3 mph) | 3.5 | 123 kcal | 245 kcal |
| Yoga | 2.5 | 88 kcal | 175 kcal |
Calculate your running performance alongside calorie burn with our Running Pace Calculator and track your steps with our Steps to Calories Calculator.
The Afterburn Effect (EPOC) -- Calories You Burn After Exercise
Many people are surprised to learn that calorie burning continues well after exercise ends. This phenomenon is called EPOC -- Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, commonly known as the "afterburn effect." After intense exercise, your body continues consuming extra oxygen and burning additional calories as it restores muscle glycogen, repairs micro-tears in muscle fibres, removes lactate, and returns hormone levels to baseline.
EPOC is most significant after high-intensity exercise such as HIIT, vigorous weight training, and fast running. Research suggests EPOC can add 6-15% additional calorie burn over the hours following a high-intensity session. A 400-kcal HIIT workout might generate an additional 25-60 kcal of afterburn over the next 12-24 hours.
Pair your exercise calorie burn with adequate protein for muscle recovery. Use our Protein Calculator to find your post-workout protein target, and hydrate properly with targets from our Water Intake Calculator -- exercise significantly increases hydration needs.
NEAT -- The Calories You Burn Without Exercising
Formal exercise accounts for only a fraction of your total daily energy expenditure for most people. NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) refers to all the energy used for everyday movement outside structured workouts -- walking to the kitchen, taking the stairs, fidgeting, standing instead of sitting, doing housework, shopping, and cooking. For sedentary office workers, NEAT can be as low as 200-300 kcal per day. For highly active people, it can exceed 1,000 kcal per day.
Increasing NEAT is one of the most overlooked and effective strategies for managing weight because it does not require dedicated workout time. Parking further away, taking the stairs, standing during phone calls, and taking short walking breaks every 30 minutes can collectively add 200-400 extra kcal to your daily expenditure without feeling like formal exercise. This sustainable increase adds up to 1,400-2,800 extra kcal per week.
How to Increase Calorie Burn Safely and Effectively
- Add intervals to your sessions: Alternating high and low intensity within a workout (even brief running bursts during a walk) significantly increases total calorie burn and EPOC. Use our Heart Rate Calculator to find your ideal training zones
- Include strength training: Building muscle modestly raises your resting metabolic rate over time, so you burn more calories even at rest. Vigorous weight training (MET 6.0) also burns a meaningful amount during the session itself
- Increase NEAT deliberately: Set hourly reminders to stand and walk. Choose stairs. Walk to local destinations. The cumulative effect over a week is significant
- Progress gradually: Increase duration by 10% per week or add one additional session per week. Sudden large increases in training volume raise injury risk
- Stay consistent across the week: Three moderate sessions plus high daily NEAT typically burns more total weekly calories than one intense session with sedentary days
- Hydrate properly: Even mild dehydration impairs exercise performance and can lower calorie burn. Check your hydration needs with our Water Intake Calculator
- Fuel your workouts correctly: Adequate protein prevents muscle loss during calorie deficits and supports recovery. See our Macro Calculator for balanced targets
