MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task, a standard unit for the intensity of physical activity. One MET is roughly the energy your body uses sitting quietly at rest, defined as 3.5 ml of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. An activity rated at 8 METs, such as moderate cycling, therefore costs about eight times your resting rate for as long as you keep it up.

Why does body weight change the result?

Moving a heavier body takes more energy, so the MET formula scales calorie burn in direct proportion to weight. Double the body weight and the estimate doubles for the same activity and duration. That’s why the same 30-minute jog shows different numbers for different people, and why you should update your weight here if it changes.

Does the estimate include calories I would have burned anyway?

Yes. The MET equation returns gross energy, which includes your resting burn for those minutes. In the 30-minute running example, about 37 of the 360 kcal are resting energy, so the extra cost of the workout is closer to 323 kcal. Subtract 1 from the activity’s MET value and recompute if you want that net figure.

How accurate are MET-based estimates?

They’re useful for comparing workouts and rough planning, but they can’t capture individual differences in fitness, movement efficiency, terrain, or how hard you actually pushed. Published MET values also describe a typical pace — your “jogging” may be faster or slower than the reference activity. If precision matters, heart-rate-based tracking or lab measurement gives tighter numbers.

Can I use this for weight-loss planning?

It helps you gauge the exercise side of your energy balance, alongside a BMR/TDEE estimate for your daily baseline. Keep in mind that exercise-calorie estimates are approximate and easy to out-eat. This is general guidance only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major changes.

No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser, and your weight and workout details never leave your device.

Calories Burned Calculator

Estimate calories burned for an activity from its MET value, your weight and duration.

Runs in your browser — files never leave your device

Activity

WeightkgDurationmin

Calories burned

294 kcal

How it works

This calculator estimates the energy you burn during exercise from three inputs: the activity’s MET value, your body weight, and how long you keep the activity up. A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) expresses how demanding an activity is relative to sitting at rest — one MET is your resting rate, so jogging at 7 METs costs about seven times as much energy per minute as resting. Researchers have measured and published MET values for hundreds of activities, and this tool uses typical values for the activities in its list.

The formula is the standard MET equation: calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200, and total calories = calories per minute × duration in minutes, rounded to the nearest whole kilocalorie. The activity picker uses these MET values:

Walking at 5 km/h — 3.5 METs
Jogging — 7 METs
Running at 10 km/h — 9.8 METs
Cycling at a moderate effort — 8 METs
Swimming — 7 METs
Yoga — 2.5 METs
Strength training — 5 METs

Worked example: a 70 kg runner at 10 km/h (9.8 METs) for 30 minutes. First, 9.8 × 3.5 × 70 = 2,401. Dividing by 200 gives 12.005 kcal per minute. Over 30 minutes that’s 12.005 × 30 = 360.15, which the tool rounds to 360 kcal — the number shown in the result card.

Treat the result as a reasonable estimate, not a measurement. MET values are averages recorded under controlled conditions; your true burn depends on fitness, body composition, terrain, technique, and how vigorously you actually moved. The figure is also gross energy — it includes the roughly 37 kcal you would have burned at rest during those 30 minutes in the example above — so the extra cost of the workout is somewhat lower. This tool offers general guidance only and is not medical advice; consult a qualified professional before making significant changes to diet or exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What is a MET?: MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task, a standard unit for the intensity of physical activity. One MET is roughly the energy your body uses sitting quietly at rest, defined as 3.5 ml of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. An activity rated at 8 METs, such as moderate cycling, therefore costs about eight times your resting rate for as long as you keep it up.
Why does body weight change the result?: Moving a heavier body takes more energy, so the MET formula scales calorie burn in direct proportion to weight. Double the body weight and the estimate doubles for the same activity and duration. That’s why the same 30-minute jog shows different numbers for different people, and why you should update your weight here if it changes.
Does the estimate include calories I would have burned anyway?: Yes. The MET equation returns gross energy, which includes your resting burn for those minutes. In the 30-minute running example, about 37 of the 360 kcal are resting energy, so the extra cost of the workout is closer to 323 kcal. Subtract 1 from the activity’s MET value and recompute if you want that net figure.
How accurate are MET-based estimates?: They’re useful for comparing workouts and rough planning, but they can’t capture individual differences in fitness, movement efficiency, terrain, or how hard you actually pushed. Published MET values also describe a typical pace — your “jogging” may be faster or slower than the reference activity. If precision matters, heart-rate-based tracking or lab measurement gives tighter numbers.
Can I use this for weight-loss planning?: It helps you gauge the exercise side of your energy balance, alongside a BMR/TDEE estimate for your daily baseline. Keep in mind that exercise-calorie estimates are approximate and easy to out-eat. This is general guidance only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major changes.
Is my data uploaded?: No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser, and your weight and workout details never leave your device.

Calories Burned Calculator

How it works

Frequently asked questions

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