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Calories Burned Calculator
How Does This Calculator Work?
Most basic calculators just multiply MET × weight × time. This tool goes further - it also computes your personal BMR so it can split your total calories into active (from the exercise) and resting (what your body burns just staying alive).
Males: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Females: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a standardized scientific number that describes an activity's energy demand relative to sitting still (MET = 1.0). A MET of 9 means your body is working 9× harder than rest. Sports scientists have measured hundreds of activities and published their MET values in the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Calculation steps:
Total calories = MET × body weight (kg) × duration (hours)
Resting calories = (daily BMR ÷ 1440) × duration (minutes)
Active calories = Total − Resting
| Activity | Intensity | MET |
|---|---|---|
| 🏃 Running | Casual (~5 mph) | 8.3 |
| 🏃 Running | Moderate (~6 mph) | 9.8 |
| 🏃 Running | Vigorous (~7.5 mph) | 11.8 |
| 🚴 Cycling | Leisurely (<10 mph) | 4.0 |
| 🚴 Cycling | Moderate (12-14 mph) | 8.0 |
| 🚴 Cycling | Racing (>16 mph) | 12.0 |
| 🚶 Walking | Stroll (~2 mph) | 2.5 |
| 🚶 Walking | Brisk (~3.5 mph) | 4.3 |
| 🚶 Walking | Power Walk (~4.5 mph) | 7.0 |
| 🏋️ Weight Lifting | Light effort | 3.5 |
| 🏋️ Weight Lifting | Vigorous effort | 6.0 |
| ⚡ HIIT / Circuit | High intensity intervals | 8.0 |
| 🔄 Elliptical | Moderate effort | 5.0 |
| 🏊 Swimming | Casual / Leisurely | 5.8 |
| 🏊 Swimming | Vigorous Laps | 9.8 |
MET values: Ainsworth BE et al., "2011 Compendium of Physical Activities." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(8), 1575-1581.
Original Insight: Why Two People Doing the Same Workout Burn Different Amounts
A common frustration is seeing a fitness tracker report a different calorie burn than a friend's for the "same" workout. This is not a bug, it is biology. Calorie burn from exercise (the "active" portion of the estimate above) scales directly with body weight, since moving more mass takes more energy. But the "resting" portion comes from your BMR, which depends on age, sex, height, and weight in a non-linear way. Two people of identical weight can have noticeably different BMRs if one is older or shorter. That is why this calculator splits your total into active and resting calories separately, rather than giving a single MET-only number. The split also helps you interpret results across different activity durations: a short, intense workout shifts more of your total toward the active column, while a long, low-intensity session lets your resting metabolism account for a larger share.
Glossary of Key Terms
- MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)
- A ratio of an activity's energy cost to the energy cost of sitting quietly. One MET equals roughly 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour.
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
- The number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to keep vital functions like breathing and circulation running.
- Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
- A widely used formula for estimating BMR from weight, height, age, and biological sex, considered more accurate than older formulas for most adults.
- Active Calories
- The portion of total calories burned that is attributable specifically to the exercise itself, above and beyond your resting metabolism.
- Resting Calories
- The calories your body would have burned anyway during the workout's duration, simply by being alive.
- Compendium of Physical Activities
- A scientific reference catalog that assigns standardized MET values to hundreds of activities, used by researchers and fitness apps alike.