Calories Burned Calculator
Select an activity, enter your weight and duration to estimate the total calories burned during exercise or daily activities.
Reviewed by the ToolNestr Editorial Team — July 2026
Select an activity and enter your weight and duration.
About calories burned
Knowing how many calories you burn during exercise helps you understand your total energy balance. This calculator uses the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) system, a standardised method developed by exercise physiologists to estimate energy expenditure across hundreds of activities. Each activity has a MET value that represents its intensity relative to resting metabolism. The Compendium of Physical Activities provides the reference values used here. Combine this with the Calorie Calculator for a complete picture of your daily energy balance, and check the Pace Calculator for running-specific estimates.
These are estimates — individual results vary with fitness level, efficiency, temperature and terrain.
How it works
The MET method is simple: one MET equals the energy you burn at rest (about 1 calorie per kg per hour). An activity with a MET of 5 burns five times as many calories as resting. The calculator multiplies the MET value by your weight in kilograms and the duration in hours. Because MET values are averages, your actual burn may be higher or lower depending on your fitness level (fit people are more efficient and may burn slightly fewer calories for the same work), the terrain, temperature and how vigorously you perform the activity.
The formula explained
Calories burned = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)
For example, cycling at a MET of 5.8 for 45 minutes at 70 kg:
5.8 × 70 × (45 / 60) = 304.5 calories
Worked example
A person weighing 75 kg goes jogging (MET 7.0) for 30 minutes. How many calories do they burn?
Runner tracking TDEE
Log your run calories burned to add to your daily TDEE. Know exactly how much you can eat while maintaining your weight.
Cyclist fuelling rides
Estimate ride expenditure to plan pre-ride nutrition and post-ride refuelling. Longer rides need more careful calorie planning.
Yoga practitioner
Compare the energy cost of different yoga styles — vigorous vinyasa burns significantly more than gentle hatha or restorative.
Fitness instructor
Share estimated calorie burn with class participants so they understand the energy cost of their workout and can plan nutrition accordingly.
How to use this calculator
Select your activity
Choose from the dropdown list of common activities. Each has a MET value from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Enter your weight and time
Your weight determines the base energy cost. Duration in minutes sets how long you sustain the activity.
Read your burn
See total calories burned, calories per minute and the MET value. Use this data for nutrition planning and progress tracking.
Tips for calorie burn tracking
Use duration not distance
Time under tension is what matters for calorie burn, not distance. A 30-minute run burns roughly the same calories whether you cover 4 km or 5 km — intensity is the difference.
Higher intensity burns more
Doubling your MET from 5 to 10 doubles your calorie burn for the same duration. High-intensity intervals can boost calorie burn both during and after exercise (the afterburn effect).
Don't trust machines blindly
Treadmills and ellipticals often overestimate calorie burn by 15-30%. Use this MET-based calculator as a more objective reference point.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What is a MET?
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. One MET is the energy cost of sitting quietly — about 1 calorie per kg of body weight per hour. Activities are assigned MET values based on their intensity relative to rest.
How accurate is this calculator?
MET-based estimates are a good general guide, accurate within +-15% for most people. Individual variation depends on fitness level, body composition, temperature and technique.
Why do heavier people burn more calories?
Moving a heavier body requires more energy. That is why weight is a key input — a person weighing 80 kg burns more calories doing the same activity as someone weighing 60 kg.
Do fitness trackers give more accurate results?
Research shows most fitness trackers are within 10-20% of lab measurements for cardio activities. They are less accurate for strength training and non-step activities.
Should I eat back the calories I burn?
Only if your goal is weight maintenance. For weight loss, your activity level setting in the Calorie Calculator already accounts for exercise — eating back exercise calories usually cancels your deficit.