Estimate calories burned for any activity
This calories burned calculator estimates how much energy you use during exercise, sport and everyday tasks. Choose from 80 activities — from brisk walking, running and cycling to swimming, yoga, Surya Namaskar, HIIT, cricket, football, badminton and household chores — enter your weight and how long you were active, and the calories appear instantly.
It uses the MET method with intensity values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference list researchers use to compare activities. You also see the burn per 10 and 30 minutes and per hour, the net calories above resting, the intensity level, and a table comparing popular activities for your weight and time.
Results are estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. Use them for planning and comparison rather than as exact figures.
How to use the Calories Burned Calculator
- Choose metric (kg, km/h) or imperial (lb, mph).
- Enter your body weight — heavier bodies use more energy for the same movement.
- Enter how long you were active in hours and minutes.
- Pick an activity from the list — walking, running and cycling are grouped by speed, skipping by skips per minute — or choose “Cycling by power” and enter your average watts.
- Read the calories burned, then scroll the comparison table to see how other activities stack up.
Calories Burned Calculator features
80 activities with MET values
Walking speeds, running paces, cycling, skipping, swimming, gym training, yoga, dance, team sports and daily chores.
Cycling by power
Enter average watts from a power meter or smart trainer for a burn based on the work you actually did.
Speeds in your units
Walking, running and cycling speeds are shown in km/h and min/km, or mph and min/mile, to match your setting.
Per 30 minutes and per hour
See standard rates as well as the total for your exact duration.
Net calories and intensity
Shows calories above what you would burn at rest anyway, and whether the activity is light, moderate or vigorous.
Comparison table
Fifteen common activities ranked for your weight and duration, with your choice highlighted.
How calories burned are calculated
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) compares an activity’s energy cost with sitting quietly. One MET is roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour, or 3.5 ml of oxygen per kilogram per minute. An activity of 8 METs uses about eight times the energy of rest.
The formula is calories = METs × body weight (kg) × time (hours). For example, running at 6 mph (9.7 km/h) is rated 9.8 METs, so a 70 kg person running for 30 minutes burns 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 kcal. Brisk walking at 3.5 mph (4.3 METs) for the same time burns about 151 kcal.
Some calculators use METs × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200 per minute, about 5% higher. Both are approximations.
Cycling and skipping calories
New cycling and rope-jumping rows use the 2024 Adult Compendium (Herrmann et al., pacompendium.com, checked 24 October 2026); the code appears under the result. A 70 kg rider burns about 280 kcal an hour under 16 km/h (01010, 4.0 METs), 560 kcal at 19–22 km/h (01030) and 840 kcal at 26–31 km/h (01050, 12.0 METs). Skipping is 8.3 METs under 100 skips a minute (15552), 11.8 at 100–120 (15551) and 12.3 at 120–160 (15550).
By power: work in kJ = watts × seconds ÷ 1,000, so 150 W for an hour is 540 kJ. Muscles are about 20–25% efficient, so food energy = work ÷ efficiency: 540 ÷ 0.24 ÷ 4.184 ≈ 538 kcal, which is why 1 kJ of work is roughly 1 kcal. Wind and hills are already in the measured work; efficiency is the main uncertainty.
Intensity levels and activity guidelines
Health bodies class activities below 3 METs as light, 3–5.9 METs as moderate and 6 METs or more as vigorous. The World Health Organization recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on two or more days.
MET-minutes (METs × minutes) let you add up different activities. The WHO guideline works out to roughly 500–1,000 MET-minutes a week — for example, five 30-minute brisk walks at 4.3 METs is 645 MET-minutes.
Why your real burn may differ
- Fitness and efficiency: experienced runners and swimmers move more economically and may burn less.
- Terrain and conditions: hills, sand, wind, heat and carrying a load all increase energy use.
- Body composition, age and sex: MET values assume an average adult; your resting metabolism may be higher or lower — see the BMR calculator.
- Only active time counts: for stop-start sports such as cricket or tennis, use the time you were actually moving, not the time on the field.
- Gross vs net: the main figure includes resting energy. When adding exercise to a daily calorie budget from the calorie calculator, the net figure avoids counting your BMR twice.
Calories Burned Calculator FAQ
How many calories does walking burn?
About 3.5–5 METs depending on speed. A 70 kg person walking briskly at 5.6 km/h (3.5 mph) burns roughly 300 kcal an hour, or 150 kcal in 30 minutes. Pick your exact pace in the calories burned calculator.
How accurate are MET-based calorie estimates?
Good for comparing and planning, but individual results can differ by 10–20% or more. Fitness watches also estimate, with varying accuracy.
Does a heavier person burn more calories?
Yes. Moving a heavier body takes more energy, so calories burned rise in proportion to body weight for the same activity and time.
What is a MET value?
A MET is a multiple of resting energy use. Sitting quietly is about 1.3 METs, brisk walking 4.3, running at 6 mph 9.8 and jumping rope 11.8. Values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Should I eat back the calories I burn exercising?
If your calorie target already assumes an activity level, don’t add exercise again. If you used “sedentary”, you can add back part of the net calories — many people add about half to allow for estimation error.
How many calories does skipping burn in 10 minutes?
At a moderate 100–120 skips a minute (11.8 METs), about 118 kcal at 60 kg and 138 kcal at 70 kg. Slow skipping burns about 30% less.
How many calories does cycling burn per hour?
From about 280 kcal at leisure pace to 840 kcal at 26–31 km/h for a 70 kg rider. With a power meter, kcal are close to the kJ of work.
How do I work out my running pace?
Divide your time by your distance, or use the pace calculator. Then choose the closest running speed in the list above.