Calories Burned Calculator

A MET — metabolic equivalent of task — is a multiple of your resting energy use. Sitting quietly is 1 MET, which is about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated 4 MET uses about four times as much energy as resting. The calculation is simply MET × body weight in kg × hours. For a 70 kg person walking briskly (4.3 MET) for 30 minutes, that is 4.3 × 70 × 0.5 ≈ 151 kcal. The values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a reference list compiled by researchers from many studies and updated over the years.

The total includes the energy you would have used anyway just by being alive. If you are counting exercise calories against a diet, the more honest figure is the calories above resting, shown separately: it subtracts 1 MET for the same time. For short, light activities the difference is large; for intense exercise it matters less. Fitness trackers and gym machines often report the total, which is one reason they can make exercise look like it burns more than it adds to your day.

MET values describe an average adult. Fitness level, technique, terrain, wind, water temperature, the weight you carry and body composition all change the real figure, often by 10–20% or more. Fit people tend to burn slightly less for the same task because they are more efficient, and people carrying more weight burn more. Use the result as an estimate to compare activities and plan, not as an exact count. For total daily energy needs including your normal activity level, use the TDEE Calculator.

Exercise has many benefits beyond calories: stronger heart and muscles, better mood, sleep and blood sugar control. For weight loss, though, it is easier to eat 300 kcal less than to burn 300 kcal more, and people often eat back more than they burned. Combining a modest calorie deficit with regular activity works best; the Calorie Deficit Calculator helps you set a realistic target.