Estimating the calories you burn exercising
Knowing roughly how many calories an activity burns helps you balance energy in against energy out, whether you are training for an event or managing your weight. Burn depends on three things: how heavy you are, how long you exercise, and how intense the activity is — and this calculator combines all three.
How to use the calculator
Enter your weight, the duration of your session in minutes, and select the activity. The calculator returns the total calories burned and the rate per minute, so you can compare activities fairly.
How MET values work
Each activity is assigned a MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) value, which compares its energy cost to sitting still (MET = 1). Running at a MET of 8 burns eight times as much energy as resting. The calculation is calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours). A 70 kg person running for 30 minutes at MET 8 burns about 280 calories.
Treat the number as a guide
Two people doing the identical workout can burn different amounts, because fitness, efficiency, and body composition all play a role. Gym cardio machines are notorious for over-estimating burn — often by 20–30% — so if anything, err on the conservative side. Use these figures to compare activities and track trends over time rather than as an exact calorie budget to "eat back".