Estimate calories burned for exercise, sports, chores, work tasks, and daily activities from your weight, duration, and MET value. Private by design; everything runs in your browser.
Examples include walking, running, cycling, swimming, strength training, cleaning, gardening, dancing, and active jobs.
Inputs
Units:
Activity category
Choose the closest intensity. Use custom MET below only when you already know the value.
We also show kcal per minute and kcal per hour.
Leave blank to use the selected walking, running, or cycling preset.
Pace overrides speed when both are entered.
Advanced: custom MET value
Most users should choose a preset activity. Enter a custom MET only when you have a value from a device, lab test, coach, or Compendium lookup.
Compare two activities
Uses the same weight and duration. In distance mode, the calculated duration is used.
Comparison will appear after you calculate.
Results will appear here.
How This Calculator Works (MET Science)
This calculator estimates calories burned using MET values, short for
metabolic equivalents of task. A MET compares an activity's energy cost with resting.
To translate METs into calories, the tool applies the standard equation:
kcal = MET × 3.5 × weight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes.
Use duration mode when you know how long the activity lasted. Use
distance mode for walking, running, or cycling when you know distance plus pace
or speed. If you do not enter pace or speed, the calculator uses the selected preset's typical
speed to estimate time.
Choosing the right activity: When multiple intensities are listed (e.g., cycling
12–13.9 vs. 14–15.9 mph), select the closest match to your usual pace. If you don’t track pace,
pick the description that best fits perceived effort: light, moderate, or vigorous.
Privacy: the calculation is client-side. Your weight, activity, and results are
not uploaded by this page.
Results are estimates for general education. They are not medical, nutrition, or training advice
and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or manage a health condition.
Example Calories Burned Tables
30 minutes by activity
Activity
MET
125 lb
155 lb
185 lb
Walking, brisk 3.5 mph
4.3
128 kcal
159 kcal
189 kcal
Running, 6 mph
9.8
292 kcal
362 kcal
432 kcal
Cycling, 12-13.9 mph
8.0
238 kcal
295 kcal
352 kcal
Swimming laps, moderate
5.8
173 kcal
214 kcal
256 kcal
Strength training, general
3.5
104 kcal
129 kcal
154 kcal
House cleaning, general
3.3
98 kcal
122 kcal
145 kcal
Gardening, general
3.8
113 kcal
140 kcal
167 kcal
Yoga, Hatha
2.5
74 kcal
92 kcal
110 kcal
Popular paces for a 155 lb person
Activity pace
MET
30 min estimate
Walk 3.0 mph
3.3
122 kcal
Walk 3.5 mph
4.3
159 kcal
Run 5.0 mph
8.3
306 kcal
Run 6.0 mph
9.8
362 kcal
Cycle 10-11.9 mph
6.8
251 kcal
Cycle 14-15.9 mph
10.0
369 kcal
Accuracy: Why Estimates Vary
MET-based calculators are useful for comparing activities, but they are not precise measurements of your body. Estimates can shift because of body weight, duration, pace, terrain, incline, surface, wind, carried load, breaks, technique, fitness level, age, body composition, heat, humidity, and hydration.
Fitness trackers and lab tests may differ from this result because they can use heart rate, GPS, accelerometers, power meters, respiratory measurements, or proprietary models. Treat the result as a planning estimate, not an exact calorie count.
Sources and Methodology
The calculator uses the standard MET equation and a practical activity list based on standardized activity-energy references. MET values are averages for categories of activity, not personalized measurements.
It is an estimate based on standardized MET averages, weight, and time. Real energy use varies with pace, terrain, incline, breaks, fitness level, body composition, heat, and measurement method.
What is a MET?
A MET, or metabolic equivalent of task, compares an activity's energy cost with resting. One MET is roughly resting energy use, and higher MET values represent higher intensity.
Why does weight affect calories burned?
The standard formula multiplies by body weight in kilograms, so a heavier body generally requires more energy for the same MET value and duration.
Do fitness trackers calculate this differently?
Often yes. Trackers may combine heart rate, motion sensors, personal settings, GPS pace, and proprietary models, while this calculator uses transparent MET-based estimates.
How many calories do I burn walking for 30 minutes?
At 155 lb, walking at about 3.0 mph burns about 122 kcal in 30 minutes, while brisk walking at about 3.5 mph burns about 159 kcal. Your result changes with weight and pace.
How many calories do I burn running a mile?
For a 155 lb person, running one mile is often roughly around 110 to 130 kcal depending on pace and conditions. Use distance mode for an estimate using your weight and selected running speed.
Are calories and kcal the same?
In nutrition and exercise contexts, Calorie with a capital C usually means kilocalorie, or kcal. This calculator reports kcal.
Can this predict weight loss?
No. It estimates activity energy expenditure only. Weight change also depends on total daily energy expenditure, food intake, water shifts, recovery, health status, and consistency.
Where do MET values come from?
The activity values are based on standardized MET references such as the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, with practical grouping and labels for calculator use.
Is my data private?
Yes. Everything runs locally in your browser and is not uploaded or stored by this page.
