Calorie Burn Calculator
Find out exactly how many calories you burn during any exercise or activity
How does calorie burn work? Your body burns calories during every activity — from sleeping to sprinting. The number of calories burned depends on your body weight, the intensity of the activity, and the duration. This calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values — a scientifically validated method used by exercise scientists worldwide to estimate calorie expenditure for hundreds of activities.
Calculate Calories Burned
Calorie Burn Comparison — Popular Activities
Based on a 70kg (154 lbs) person exercising for 30 minutes:
| Activity | Calories (30 min) | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| Running (10 km/h) | 420 kcal | High |
| Cycling (vigorous) | 385 kcal | High |
| Swimming (laps) | 350 kcal | High |
| HIIT Training | 400 kcal | Very High |
| Weight Training | 210 kcal | Moderate |
| Brisk Walking | 175 kcal | Low-Moderate |
| Yoga | 105 kcal | Low |
| Football / Soccer | 315 kcal | High |
Real Examples — Maya and Robin’s Calorie Burn
Maya — 80kg, 30 min Brisk Walk Daily
Maya’s daily 30 minute brisk walk burns approximately 245 calories per session. Over 7 days that is 1,715 calories per week — equivalent to approximately 0.25kg of fat loss per week from walking alone — before any dietary changes.
Combined with her 500 calorie daily dietary deficit Maya is creating a total weekly deficit of approximately 5,215 calories — enough for 0.7kg of fat loss per week.
Robin — 60kg, 1 hour Gym Session 3x Per Week
Robin’s 60 minute weight training session burns approximately 350 calories per session. Three sessions per week = 1,050 calories per week from gym training.
More importantly strength training creates an afterburn effect (EPOC) where Robin continues burning extra calories for up to 24 hours after each session — making the actual total burn significantly higher than the session alone.
Research reference: The MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values used in this calculator are sourced from the Compendium of Physical Activities — a comprehensive database of MET values for over 800 activities developed by exercise scientists and published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
Source: Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. NIH/PubMed.
Know How Many Calories You Should Eat?
Use our free TDEE Calculator to find your exact daily calorie target and combine it with your activity calorie burn.
Calculate My Daily Calories →⭐ Recommended for tracking your calorie burn:
Fitbit Smart Band — Track Calories Burned — View on Amazon →Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are MET-based calorie burn estimates?
MET values are population averages derived from research on typical adults performing each activity. Individual calorie burn can vary by 20-30% from these estimates due to factors like fitness level, body composition, movement efficiency and even outdoor temperature. Use these numbers as a reasonable guide for tracking trends over time, not as a precise measurement.
Does a heavier person burn more calories doing the same activity?
Yes — MET-based calculations scale with body weight, since moving a heavier body requires more energy. This is why the same activity at the same intensity produces a higher calorie estimate for someone who weighs more.
Should I eat back the calories I burn from exercise?
This depends on your goal and how the calorie burn was already factored into your daily target. If your calorie target was calculated using a sedentary or lightly active multiplier and you did an unusually intense workout, eating back some of those calories may help avoid an excessively large deficit. If your activity level was already factored into your TDEE, you generally don’t need to add exercise calories on top.
Why does my fitness tracker show a different number than this calculator?
Wearable devices use additional data like heart rate and movement patterns from accelerometers, which can produce different estimates than a standard MET-based calculation. Neither method is perfectly precise, but combining trends from both over time gives a more reliable picture than any single number.
Disclaimer: Calorie burn estimates are based on MET values and body weight. Individual results vary based on fitness level, body composition, age, and exercise intensity. Use as a guide only.