This calorie burn calculator estimates the calories burned in an activity from three things: what you do, how long you do it and how much you weigh. Choose from more than fifty activity settings, from walking and badminton to skipping, yoga and gym work, and the tool gives a total in kcal.
The numbers come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research list that gives each activity a MET value. They are averages for healthy adults and can miss by a tenth to a fifth for any one person, but they are good for planning and comparing.
Quick numbers
Formula
MET × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200 × minutes1 MET
energy at rest, about 1 kcal per kg per hourBrisk walk, 70 kg, 30 min
158 kcalSkipping, 70 kg, 30 min
434 kcalYoga, 70 kg, 30 min
92 kcal
How the calorie burn calculator works
Calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200
Total = calories per minute × minutes
A 62 kg woman plays badminton socially (5.5 MET) for 45 minutes: 5.5 × 3.5 × 62 ÷ 200 × 45 = 269 kcal.
MET means metabolic equivalent: 1 MET is your energy use sitting quietly. An activity of 6 MET uses six times as much.
Calories burned calculator table: 30 minutes
| Activity | MET | 55 kg | 70 kg | 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, 5 km/h | 3.5 | 101 | 129 | 156 |
| Brisk walking, 5.6 km/h | 4.3 | 124 | 158 | 192 |
| Running, 9.7 km/h | 9.8 | 283 | 360 | 437 |
| Cycling, 16 to 19 km/h | 6.8 | 196 | 250 | 303 |
| Skipping rope, moderate | 11.8 | 341 | 434 | 527 |
| Swimming, moderate | 5.8 | 167 | 213 | 259 |
| Badminton, social | 5.5 | 159 | 202 | 245 |
| Zumba or aerobic dance | 7.3 | 211 | 268 | 326 |
| Hatha yoga | 2.5 | 72 | 92 | 112 |
| Surya namaskar | 4.0 | 116 | 147 | 178 |
| Stair climbing, fast | 8.8 | 254 | 323 | 393 |
| Weight training, moderate | 3.5 | 101 | 129 | 156 |
| Jumping jacks | 8.0 | 231 | 294 | 357 |
| Burpees | 8.0 | 231 | 294 | 357 |
| Squats, moderate | 3.8 | 110 | 140 | 170 |
| Standing | 1.8 | 52 | 66 | 80 |
Click any activity for a full page with distances, counts and times.
Why the same workout burns different amounts
- Weight: heavier bodies need more energy to move.
- Intensity: a hard effort can double the burn of an easy one.
- Skill and fitness: experienced swimmers or cyclists move more efficiently.
- Rest time: classes and gym sessions include pauses that lower the average.
- Age and sex: these shift resting energy a little, which the MET method does not include.
Gross vs net calories
The calculator shows gross calories: everything burned during the activity, including what you would have burned sitting. To get the extra calories from exercise alone, subtract 1 MET's worth. For a 70 kg person, that is about 1.2 kcal a minute, so a 30 minute walk at 4.3 MET adds about 115 kcal over sitting, not 158.
Calories burned for weight loss
Burning 7,700 kcal through exercise takes a lot of hours: about 50 brisk 30 minute walks for a 70 kg adult. Exercise is still worth it for heart health, mood, sleep and keeping muscle during a diet. Pair it with the food side of the plan for steady progress, and check how much you should aim to spend daily on calories to burn each day.
High knees, mountain climbers and other home moves
Fast bodyweight moves such as high knees, mountain climbers and burpees are vigorous calisthenics at about 8 MET. A minute of high knees burns roughly 10 kcal for 70 kg, so 100 high knees, about a minute's work, come to around 10 kcal. They shine in short intervals, where the effort is high and the time is short.
Calories burned in daily chores
Housework counts too. Sweeping and mopping sit around 3.3 to 3.5 MET, cooking and washing dishes nearer 2, and carrying a full bucket of water up stairs can pass 6. For a 60 kg woman, an hour of brisk cleaning burns about 214 kcal, close to a gentle walk. Gardening, playing with children and shopping on foot add up the same way over a week.
This everyday movement, sometimes called NEAT, is often the biggest difference between two people with the same workout. Someone who stands, walks and does chores through the day can burn 300 kcal more than a colleague who sits, even if both train for an hour. Counting steps is a simple way to see it; the steps converter turns your count into distance.
Hub: every calories burned page
Walking and steps: walking, 10,000 steps, treadmill, stairs. Cardio and sport: running, cycling, swimming, skipping, badminton, Zumba and dance. Home and gym: jumping jacks, squats, push ups, plank, burpees, gym workouts. Mind and body: yoga, surya namaskar. Rest: sleeping, sitting and standing.
Before starting hard exercise with a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure or during pregnancy, ask your doctor which activities and intensities are safe.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate calories burned?
Multiply the activity's MET value by 3.5 and your weight in kg, divide by 200, then multiply by the minutes.
Is the calorie burn calculator accurate?
It gives a sound average. Individual results can differ by 10 to 20 percent.
Which exercise burns the most calories?
Fast running, skipping rope and hard circuits are near the top, at 10 to 12 MET or more.
How do I convert kcal to calories burned?
They are the same thing. Food labels and fitness tools say calories but mean kilocalories.
Do heavier people burn more calories?
Yes, at the same activity and time, because more mass has to be moved.
What does a 5 km outing burn?
About 257 kcal walking and 371 kcal running for a 70 kg person.
Sources
- Compendium of Physical Activities