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Based on Compendium of Physical Activities MET values.
Calories Burned Calculator
Running, cycling, swimming, yoga: every activity burns energy at its own rate. Pick your activity, enter your weight and how long you moved, and this calculator estimates the calories you burned, plus what that equals in walking minutes.
-Calories burned
-Walking equivalent
The calories formula
Calories (kcal) = MET x weight (kg) x hours. MET, the metabolic equivalent of task, measures how many times harder an activity is than sitting still. Walking is 3.5 METs and running is 9.8, so an hour of running burns almost three times what an hour of walking burns for the same person.
Worked example
Running (9.8 METs), 70 kg, 30 minutes = 0.5 hours.
- 9.8 x 70 x 0.5 = 343 kcal.
- Equivalent walking: 343 / 3.5 / 70 x 60 = 84 minutes of walking.
Where MET values come from
The MET numbers used here come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research catalog that assigns an energy cost to hundreds of activities. They are population averages: your actual burn varies with fitness, body composition, terrain, and how hard you push. Treat the result as a planning estimate, accurate to roughly 20 percent.
Pounds to kilograms
If you weigh yourself in pounds, the calculator divides by 2.20462 to get kilograms before applying the formula. Entering 154 lb gives the same result as entering 70 kg.
From calories burned to a plan
Knowing what you burn is the first half. To turn it into a goal, use the weekly weight-loss planner, which converts your target weight and timeline into the daily calorie deficit you need.
Planning estimate only. Results use the list prices shown and may differ from your actual bill. Terms
Frequently asked questions
What is a MET?
MET stands for metabolic equivalent of task: 1 MET is the energy you use sitting quietly, and higher numbers are multiples of that. Running at 9.8 METs uses almost ten times the energy of resting.
How do I use this calculator?
Select your activity, enter your body weight, and enter how long you exercised. The calculator multiplies the activity's MET value by your weight in kilograms and the duration in hours.
What does the walking comparison mean?
This is the walking-minutes equivalent, a handy comparison: it tells you how many minutes of walking would burn the same calories as your workout, so different activities are easy to compare.
How accurate is the estimate?
It is a solid estimate for steady effort. Intervals, hills, heat, and fitness level shift the real number, so treat it as accurate within about 20 percent rather than exact.