Calories burned calculator

Calories ≈ MET × weight (kg) × hours. A 155 lb person burns about 150 kcal in 30 minutes of brisk walking and about 340 kcal running at 6 mph.

Activity

Minutes

Weight (lb)

Net calories (exclude resting burn)

Calories burned4.3 METs

146

kcal for 30 min of walking, 3.5 mph (brisk). That's about 292 kcal per hour.

To burn 500 kcal at this pace: about 103 minutes.

Estimates for general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own health.

Calories burned per 30 minutes, by weight

Gross kcal, rounded. Your current weight is the highlighted column. Tap a row to load it into the calculator.

Activity	MET	125 lb	155 lb	185 lb	You
Running, 8 mph (7.5 min/mile)	11.8	335	415	495	401
Jumping rope, moderate	11.8	335	415	495	401
Running, 7 mph (8.5 min/mile)	11	312	387	462	374
Running, 6 mph (10 min/mile)	9.8	278	345	411	333
Swimming laps, freestyle, fast	9.8	278	345	411	333
Running, 5 mph (12 min/mile)	8.3	235	292	348	282
Cycling, 12–13.9 mph (moderate)	8	227	281	336	272
Basketball, game	8	227	281	336	272
Aerobics / dance class	7.3	207	257	306	248
Tennis, general	7.3	207	257	306	248
Stationary bike, moderate	7	198	246	294	238
Rowing machine, moderate	7	198	246	294	238
Soccer, casual	7	198	246	294	238
Cycling, 10–11.9 mph (leisurely)	6.8	193	239	285	231
Hiking, cross-country	6	170	211	252	204
Weight training, vigorous	6	170	211	252	204
Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate	5.8	164	204	243	197
Walking, 4 mph (very brisk)	5	142	176	210	170
Elliptical trainer, moderate	5	142	176	210	170
Walking, 3.5 mph (brisk)	4.3	122	151	180	146
Golf, walking and carrying clubs	4.3	122	151	180	146
Stair climbing, slow pace	4	113	141	168	136
Gardening, general	3.8	108	134	159	129
Walking, 3 mph (moderate)	3.5	99	123	147	119
Weight training, general	3.5	99	123	147	119
House cleaning, general	3.5	99	123	147	119
Pilates	3	85	105	126	102

What a MET is

One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly — defined as 3.5 ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute, which works out close to 1 kcal per kg per hour. An activity rated 8 METs uses eight times that.

The values here come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference table researchers use to turn activity logs into energy estimates. They are averages for adults; fitter people often burn a little less for the same task because they move more efficiently.

Bigger body, bigger burn

Because the formula multiplies by weight, a 200 lb person burns about 30% more than a 155 lb person doing the same thing for the same time. That's why calorie counts on gym machines ask for your weight.

Want the baseline your body needs before any exercise? Your lean body mass is the biggest driver of resting energy use.

Questions

How are calories burned calculated?

Calories ≈ MET × body weight in kg × hours. A MET (metabolic equivalent) is how many times more energy an activity uses than sitting still. Brisk walking is about 4.3 METs, so a 70 kg person walking briskly for an hour burns about 4.3 × 70 × 1 ≈ 300 kcal.

How many calories does walking burn?

Roughly 3.5 to 5 METs depending on pace. For a 155 lb (70 kg) person that is about 120–175 kcal per 30 minutes. Heavier people burn more for the same walk.

How many calories does running a mile burn?

A common rule of thumb is about 100 kcal per mile for a 150–160 lb runner, fairly independent of pace, because faster running burns more per minute but for fewer minutes. Our calculator gives about 115 kcal for a 10-minute mile at 155 lb.

Does the result include calories I would burn anyway?

Yes. MET figures are gross values, so they include the roughly 1 kcal per kg per hour you burn at rest. Tick "net calories" to subtract that and see only the extra burn from the exercise.

How accurate are fitness trackers compared with this?

Both are estimates. A 2017 Stanford study of seven wrist-worn devices found that none estimated energy expenditure to within 20% of a lab measurement, while MET tables reflect averages across many people. Fitness, terrain and technique all shift the real number.

Sources

Ainsworth BE et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2011.