Calories Burned Calculator
How many calories you burned — running, walking, cycling, lifting, and 20+ more activities
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Quick summary
Calories burned = MET × weight in kg × hours. METs (metabolic equivalents) rate each activity's intensity relative to rest: walking at 3 mph is 3.5 METs, running at 6 mph is 9.8, jumping rope 11.8. A 70 kg (154 lb) person running 6 mph for 30 minutes burns about 343 calories. MET values here come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard exercise-science reference.
Reviewed by Simple Calculators TeamLast reviewed
For information only — not medical advice. Results are estimates from published formulas and can't account for your health history. Talk to a doctor or other qualified clinician before making health decisions.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the inputs requested by the calculator.
- Choose the units or options that match your situation and review the assumptions.
- Run or update the calculation to see the result.
- Review the result, breakdown, and formulas shown on the page.
- Check the inputs, units, dates, and limitations before saving or sharing the result.
Frequently asked questions
How are calories burned calculated?
MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours). One MET is resting energy use (~1 kcal per kg per hour), so a 9.8-MET run burns 9.8× resting rate. An 80 kg person running 6 mph for 45 minutes: 9.8 × 80 × 0.75 ≈ 588 calories.
Which exercise burns the most calories?
Per hour for a 70 kg person: jumping rope and 8-min/mile running (~825 cal) top the list, then vigorous cycling (~700), vigorous swimming (~686), and HIIT (~560). But the exercise you'll actually sustain matters more than the leaderboard — 45 minutes of brisk walking beats 5 minutes of burpees.
Are fitness tracker calorie counts accurate?
Wrist trackers commonly err 20–40% on active calories; MET-based estimates have similar uncertainty in the other direction (they assume average efficiency). Treat every number as an estimate and prioritize trends and consistency over precision.
Do I burn calories after the workout ends?
Yes — EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) adds roughly 6–15% of the workout's burn over the following hours, more after intense intervals than steady cardio. MET math doesn't include it, so vigorous sessions burn slightly more in total than shown.
Key terms
- MET
- Metabolic equivalent — a multiple of resting energy use. Sitting ≈ 1 MET; a 10-MET activity burns ten times resting rate.
- Compendium of Physical Activities
- The standard research catalog assigning MET values to hundreds of activities — the source for this calculator.
- EPOC
- Post-exercise elevated metabolism (\"afterburn\") — a modest bonus burn after intense workouts.
- TDEE
- Total daily energy expenditure — resting metabolism plus activity; see the calorie calculator for your full daily number.
Methodology, sources & limitations
This page shows the formula, assumptions, and limitations used for this estimate. Rates, thresholds, and other time-sensitive inputs can change, so verify them against the relevant official source before relying on a result.
For our review approach and the primary sources we consult, see the methodology and source policy. If you spot an outdated figure or formula, please contact us with a correction.