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Calories Burned Calculator: Exercise and Everyday Activities

In short: The calories burned by an activity are MET value × body weight (kg) × duration (hours). 30 minutes of jogging at 8 km/h cost around 290 kcal at 70 kg, 30 minutes of brisk walking about 150 kcal.

Pick an activity, enter your weight and duration, and you instantly see your estimated calorie burn. It is based on the MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard reference in sports science. Free, no sign-up, and no tracking, everything is calculated right in your browser.

All values are estimates based on average values (MET) and are not medical or training advice. Your actual burn depends on intensity, fitness level, and other factors.

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How the calories burned calculator works

The basis is the MET concept (metabolic equivalent): 1 MET equals your energy expenditure at rest, about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. Every activity has a MET value that states by which factor it exceeds resting expenditure. The formula:

Calories burned (kcal) = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours)

An example: cycling at around 20 km/h has 8.0 MET. At 75 kg and 45 minutes you calculate 8.0 × 75 × 0.75 = 450 kcal. The MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a continuously maintained database of more than 1,000 measured activities that serves as the reference in studies and training science worldwide.

One detail for precise balancing: MET values are gross values. They include the resting expenditure your body would have used in the same time anyway. That is why the calculator shows you both numbers: the total burn of the activity and the share that comes on top of your resting expenditure ((MET − 1) × kg × hours).

Calories burned table: 17 activities compared

All values per 30 minutes, calculated with the same formula as in the calculator, for two example weights:

ActivityMETkcal/30 min (70 kg)kcal/30 min (85 kg)
Walking, easy (about 5 km/h / 3 mph)3.5approx. 123approx. 149
Walking, brisk (about 5.5 to 6 km/h / 3.5 mph)4.3approx. 151approx. 183
Hiking (cross-country)6.0approx. 210approx. 255
Jogging (about 8 km/h / 5 mph)8.3approx. 291approx. 353
Running (about 10 km/h / 6 mph)9.8approx. 343approx. 417
Running (about 12 km/h / 7.5 mph)11.8approx. 413approx. 502
Cycling, easy (about 15 km/h / 9.5 mph)5.8approx. 203approx. 247
Cycling, brisk (about 20 km/h / 12.5 mph)8.0approx. 280approx. 340
Swimming, leisurely laps5.8approx. 203approx. 247
Strength training, moderate3.5approx. 123approx. 149
Strength training, vigorous6.0approx. 210approx. 255
Yoga (Hatha)2.5approx. 88approx. 106
Soccer, recreational7.0approx. 245approx. 298
Tennis7.3approx. 256approx. 310
Dancing, fast5.5approx. 193approx. 234
Housework (cleaning, tidying up)3.3approx. 116approx. 140
Gardening, general3.8approx. 133approx. 162

What shifts your actual burn

  • Body weight: Heavier people burn more energy for the same activity, which is why weight is part of the formula.
  • Intensity: The MET values apply to the stated speed or effort. Run faster, hike steeper, or carry more, and you land above them.
  • Fitness level: Trained people move more economically and burn slightly less at the same pace. In return, they can sustain higher intensities.
  • Conditions: Headwind, heat, cold, terrain, and gear noticeably change the burn, and no table captures that.

From burn to energy balance

The calories you burn during exercise are one building block of your total daily energy expenditure. The bigger share comes from your basal metabolic rate and everyday movement. How many calories you need per day overall is shown by the calorie calculator. If you want to lose weight, the calorie deficit calculator gives you a realistic target range, and the protein calculator shows how much protein your muscles need in training. For tailwind in the kitchen, try our healthy recipes.

Frequently asked questions about calories burned

How do I calculate the calories I burn during exercise?

The standard method works with MET values (metabolic equivalent) from the Compendium of Physical Activities: calories burned = MET × body weight in kg × duration in hours. Jogging at 8 km/h has 8.3 MET, for example. At 70 kg and half an hour that is 8.3 × 70 × 0.5, so around 290 kcal. This is exactly the calculation the tool does for you.

What is a MET?

MET stands for metabolic equivalent and describes how much energy an activity costs compared to sitting quietly. 1 MET equals resting expenditure, about 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour. An activity with 6 MET therefore burns six times your resting rate.

How many calories does 30 minutes of jogging burn?

At 8 km/h (8.3 MET), a person weighing 70 kg burns around 290 kcal in 30 minutes, a person weighing 85 kg around 350 kcal. Run faster and the number climbs noticeably: at 12 km/h it is already about 410 kcal in 30 minutes at 70 kg.

Does the calculated burn come on top of my basal metabolic rate?

Not entirely. MET values are gross values, they include the resting expenditure your body would have had during that time anyway. The true additional burn is therefore a bit lower: (MET minus 1) × kg × hours. For one hour at 8.3 MET and 70 kg that is 511 instead of 581 kcal. For everyday decisions the difference rarely matters, for precise energy balancing you should know it.

How accurate are MET values?

They are averages from measurements across many people. Your actual burn also depends on fitness level, technique, terrain, wind, and intensity and can easily deviate by 10 to 20 percent. Fitness trackers and sports watches are estimates too. Treat the values as orientation and compare activities against each other rather than counting down to the single calorie.

Can I lose weight through exercise alone?

Possible, but hard work: half an hour of brisk walking costs only about 150 kcal at 70 kg, about as much as a single sandwich quickly delivers. In practice, the combination works best: a moderate calorie deficit through your diet plus regular movement. Exercise raises your total energy expenditure, improves fitness, and helps preserve muscle while losing weight.

Does building muscle burn calories even after the workout?

Yes, in two ways, but more modestly than often claimed. Right after an intense workout your expenditure stays slightly elevated for a few hours (afterburn effect), which usually accounts for only a small share of the workout's burn. More important long term: more muscle mass raises your basal metabolic rate, because muscles use energy even at rest.

Sources

  • Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD et al.: 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2011; 43(8): 1575-1581. PubMed 21681120
  • Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE et al.: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science 2024; 13(1): 6-12. PMC full text
  • Compendium of Physical Activities (official database): pacompendium.com