This calories burned calculator estimates energy use for an activity from body weight, duration in minutes, and a MET value. The result is calories = MET × weight(kg) × (minutes ÷ 60).
Athletes and casual walkers use it to size workouts against daily intake. For total daily needs, continue with the calorie calculator or check size trends with the BMI calculator.
How the formula works
MET captures intensity. Multiplying by kilograms and hours scales burn to your body size and how long you move. A higher MET or longer session raises the estimate linearly in this model.
Worked example
Weight 70 kg, 45 minutes, MET 7. Hours = 0.75. Calories = 7 × 70 × 0.75 = 367.5.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| MET | 7 |
| Calories burned | 367.5 |
How to use the fields
- Weight should be in kilograms for this formula.
- Duration is total active minutes for the session.
- MET value should match the activity intensity you are modeling.
Picking a MET
Light walking sits near lower METs. Vigorous running or HIIT sits higher. If you are between two table rows, run both and treat the range as a planning band rather than a single perfect number.
Weight and duration levers
Heavier body mass raises burn at the same MET and time. Longer sessions raise burn at the same MET and weight. When you cannot change intensity safely, adding minutes is the cleaner lever in this model.
Common mistakes
- Entering pounds as if they were kilograms
- Counting rest breaks as full intensity minutes
- Using an elite MET for an easy pace
- Assuming the estimate equals fat loss by itself
Training checklist
- Choose a MET that matches how hard the session felt.
- Log only active minutes, not total gym clock time.
- Keep weight current if body mass has changed.
- Compare similar workouts with the same MET source.
Diet context
Activity burn is one slice of energy balance. Baselines from resting metabolism and daily movement still matter. Use a daily calorie tool for intake targets, then treat this page as the workout add on.
Accuracy notes
MET tables are population averages. Age, fitness, terrain, and heat can shift real burn. Treat results as planning estimates, not lab calorimetry.
Combining sessions in a week
Add separate estimates for each workout instead of averaging METs across unlike activities. A long walk and a short HIIT block should use different MET rows and minute counts. Summing those calorie estimates gives a clearer weekly activity burn than one blended intensity.
Rest days still include everyday movement. This calculator covers the session you enter. Non exercise activity thermogenesis sits outside the MET workout model.
Heart rate versus MET tables
Heart rate zones can feel harder than a table MET suggests, especially in heat or on hills. If a watch and this page disagree, log both for a few weeks and see which tracks your weight trend better with a stable diet. Prefer consistency over chasing a single perfect calorie number.
Beginners often overstate minutes at peak MET because warm ups and rests get counted. Split easy and hard minutes when intensity changes a lot inside one gym visit.
Fueling around hard days
Large calorie burn estimates can tempt large extra meals that erase the deficit you wanted. Decide the goal first: performance fueling or fat loss. Performance days may need planned carbs around training. Fat loss days still need protein and patience more than perfect MET precision.
Outdoor factors that change burn
Wind, hills, soft sand, and cold weather can raise real effort above a flat MET table. When conditions are harsh, treat the calculator estimate as a floor and listen to perceived exertion. Indoor treadmill values are usually closer to table METs if incline and speed match the row you chose.
Group classes with mixed intervals are hard to score with one MET. Split the class into blocks or use a moderate MET and accept a wider error band.
Limitations
The model does not adjust for afterburn, EPOC, or individual VO2. Strength sessions with long rests may overstate burn if you keep a high MET across idle minutes. For resting metabolism context, see the BMR calculator.