Estimate calories burned from activity, body weight and time
Calories burned
368kcal
Total = MET × weight (kg) × hours. An estimate; real burn varies by fitness, technique and conditions.
Per hour
735kcal
Above resting
330kcal
More free tools: BMR and TDEE · Macros · Protein · Water · Calorie deficit
Calories burned = MET × body weight (kg) × time (hours). A MET is how many times more energy an activity uses than rest, and one MET is about 1 kcal per kg per hour. A 70 kg person running at 5 mph (8.3 METs) for 30 minutes burns about 291 kcal.
MET values come from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.), the standard reference used in exercise science. They are averages for groups of people, so your own number can differ.
Gross (total) calories include the energy you would have burned anyway at rest during that time. Net calories subtract one MET of resting energy, leaving only what the activity added. Net is the figure to use if you want to know how much extra the workout cost.
Fitness watches and gym machines usually show gross or total calories. Eating back the gross number double counts your resting energy, which is already part of your TDEE.
Calories per hour for a 70 kg person, from MET × 70:
| Activity | MET | Gross kcal per hour at 70 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga (hatha) | 2.5 | 175 kcal |
| Walking, 3 mph (4.8 km/h) | 3.5 | 245 kcal |
| Weight training, light to moderate | 3.5 | 245 kcal |
| Cycling, leisure, under 10 mph (16 km/h) | 4 | 280 kcal |
| Brisk walking, 4 mph (6.4 km/h) | 5 | 350 kcal |
| Elliptical trainer, moderate | 5 | 350 kcal |
| Swimming laps, light to moderate | 5.8 | 406 kcal |
| Weight training, vigorous | 6 | 420 kcal |
| Hiking, cross-country | 6 | 420 kcal |
| Cycling, 12 to 14 mph (19 to 22 km/h) | 8 | 560 kcal |
| Circuit training, vigorous, minimal rest | 8 | 560 kcal |
| Running, 5 mph (8 km/h) | 8.3 | 581 kcal |
| Running, 6 mph (9.7 km/h) | 9.8 | 686 kcal |
A 70 kg person runs at 5 mph (8 km/h) for 30 minutes. MET 8.3 × 70 kg × 0.5 hours = 290.5, so about 291 kcal gross. Net: (8.3 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 255.5, about 256 kcal.
A 70 kg person lifts weights vigorously for 60 minutes. MET 6.0 × 70 kg × 1 hour = 420 kcal gross. Net: (6.0 − 1) × 70 × 1 = 350 kcal.
A heavier person burns more for the same activity: at 85 kg, brisk walking (MET 5.0) for 45 minutes is 5.0 × 85 × 0.75 = about 319 kcal gross and about 255 kcal net.
Treat the result as a ballpark. This is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian if you are pregnant, under 18, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating.
Multiply the activity’s MET value by your weight in kilograms and the time in hours. A 70 kg person doing a 6.0 MET activity such as vigorous weight training for one hour burns about 420 kcal.
A MET, or metabolic equivalent of task, is the energy cost of an activity compared with sitting at rest. One MET is about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. Running at 8 km/h is about 8.3 METs.
Gross calories include your resting energy during the workout. Net calories subtract one MET of rest, so they show only the extra energy the activity used. Net equals (MET − 1) × weight (kg) × hours.
Roughly 1 kcal per kg of body weight per kilometre, or about 0.75 kcal per lb per mile, as a common rule of thumb. For a 70 kg runner that is about 70 kcal per km. The MET calculation gives similar numbers.
A 70 kg person walking at 3 mph (3.5 METs) for 30 minutes burns about 123 kcal gross: 3.5 × 70 × 0.5. At a brisk 4 mph (5.0 METs) it is about 175 kcal.
Not necessarily. If your calorie target is built on TDEE with an activity level that already includes your workouts, eating them back counts them twice. Use net calories if you do add some back, and treat the result as an estimate.
Watches use heart rate, motion and a personal profile, while this calculator uses average MET values. Both are estimates, and the gap is normal. Pick one source and compare it with your weight trend.