Calorie Burn Calculator: How Many Calories Does Exercise Burn?
Understanding how many calories different physical activities burn helps you make informed decisions about exercise planning, weight management, and daily energy balance. Our Calorie Burn Calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values โ the standardized measure of exercise intensity โ to estimate calories burned for over 50 common activities based on your body weight and exercise duration.
What Is MET?
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a measure of exercise intensity relative to rest. 1 MET = the energy expenditure at rest (approximately 1 kcal per kg per hour). An activity with MET = 5 burns five times more calories than rest. Walking briskly has a MET of about 3.5โ4. Running at 8 km/h has a MET of about 8. Cycling at moderate pace: MET 6โ8. Swimming laps: MET 7โ8. HIIT: MET 8โ12.
Calorie Burn Formula
Calories burned = MET ร Body weight (kg) ร Duration (hours)
Example: A 70 kg person runs for 30 minutes (0.5 hours) at 8 km/h (MET 8).
Calories = 8 ร 70 ร 0.5 = 280 calories.
Calorie Burn by Common Activity (for 70 kg person per 30 minutes)
Walking (moderate, 5 km/h): ~140 cal | Jogging (8 km/h): ~280 cal | Running (12 km/h): ~420 cal | Cycling (moderate): ~210 cal | Swimming (laps): ~245 cal | Yoga: ~105 cal | Weight training: ~140โ175 cal | Aerobics class: ~245 cal | Cricket (batting/fielding): ~175 cal | Football: ~280 cal | Badminton: ~210 cal | Skipping rope: ~315 cal.
Why Calorie Burn Estimates Vary
MET-based calculations are population averages and individual results vary by up to 20โ30% due to fitness level, biomechanical efficiency, muscle mass, and environmental factors. Fitness trackers (watches, wristbands) typically overestimate calorie burn by 20โ50% depending on the device and activity. Do not use exercise as a license to consume extra calories without tracking โ the "exercise compensation effect" is a major reason exercise alone rarely produces weight loss without dietary awareness.
Exercise Beyond Calorie Burn
While calorie burn is important for energy balance, exercise has profound benefits beyond the numbers: cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, bone density, mental health (reduces anxiety and depression), cognitive function, sleep quality, and longevity. Even low-calorie-burn activities like yoga and walking have substantial health benefits that pure calorie calculations miss.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your body weight.
- Select your activity and enter duration.
- Click Calculate for estimated calories burned plus MET value.
Conclusion
Our Calorie Burn Calculator gives you a science-based estimate of exercise energy expenditure, helping you understand the relationship between activity and calorie balance. Use it to plan workouts, track progress, and appreciate the value of every type of physical activity โ even a 20-minute walk burns meaningful calories and provides significant health benefits.