onlinecalculator.me

Free online calories burned calculator

Calories burned depends on the activity's intensity, your body weight, and duration. This calculator uses MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate energy.

About this calculator

How to use

  1. Select an activity from the list.
  2. Enter your body weight in pounds.
  3. Enter the duration in minutes.
  4. Click Calculate Calories.

Formula

Calories = MET × weight (kg) × hours

Weight in kg = weight (lbs) × 0.453592

MET values for common activities

ActivityMET
Walking (3 mph)3.5
Running (5 mph)8.3
Running (8 mph)13.5
Cycling (moderate)8.0
Swimming (moderate)5.8
Weight training3.5 – 6.0
Yoga2.5

Source: Ainsworth BE et al. (2011) Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 43(8):1575–81.

Worked example

160 lb person running at 5 mph for 30 minutes:

  • Weight = 160 × 0.453592 = 72.6 kg
  • MET = 8.3 (running 5 mph)
  • Hours = 30 / 60 = 0.5
  • Calories = 8.3 × 72.6 × 0.5 ≈ 301 kcal

Frequently asked

How are calories burned calculated?
Calories burned = MET × weight (kg) × hours. MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — a ratio of the activity's energy cost to resting metabolic rate. A MET of 1 = resting, MET of 8 = vigorous exercise.
What is a MET value?
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) represents how many times more energy an activity uses compared to resting. Walking at 3 mph has a MET of about 3.5, meaning it burns 3.5× more calories than sitting still.
Why does weight affect calories burned?
Heavier people burn more calories for the same activity because they must move more mass. A 200 lb person burns roughly 25% more calories than a 160 lb person doing the same activity for the same duration.
How accurate are MET-based estimates?
MET estimates are population averages from laboratory research. Individual calorie burn varies by fitness level, efficiency, terrain, and other factors. Actual burn may differ by ±20%.
What is the source of the MET values?
MET values come from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities by Ainsworth et al., the standard reference used in exercise science research.

Embed this calculator

Add this free calculator to your own site. Copy the snippet — it works anywhere you can paste HTML, and stays in sync with this page.

Preview embed →

Browse all calculators → · More in health →