How to use the calories burned calculator
- Choose the activity that matches what you did. Walking, running and cycling are listed by speed; gym and sports activities by effort. If you are between two, pick the lower one — people tend to overestimate their pace.
- Enter your weight in pounds or kilograms. Heavier bodies burn more energy doing the same thing, so weight matters as much as the activity.
- Enter the duration in minutes of actual activity. For a 90-minute tennis session with long breaks, count only the time you were moving.
The table under the result lists every activity for your weight and time, sorted from the highest burn to the lowest, so you can compare options — for example a 30-minute run with an hour of brisk walking.
The MET formula
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) compares an activity’s energy cost with sitting quietly. One MET is defined as 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, which is about 1 kcal per kilogram per hour. An activity rated 6 METs costs six times the resting rate. Calories per minute follow from the standard equation used in the American College of Sports Medicine’s guidelines:
calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200
The 200 converts milliliters of oxygen to kilocalories (about 5 kcal per liter of oxygen). The MET values come from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann, Willis, Ainsworth and colleagues, Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024), the reference list researchers use, built from published measurements of adults aged 19 to 59.
Worked example
A person who weighs 155 lb (70.3 kg) walks briskly at 3.5–3.9 mph for one hour. Brisk walking is 4.8 METs, so: 4.8 × 3.5 × 70.3 ÷ 200 = 5.9 kcal per minute, × 60 minutes = about 354 calories. Of those, about 74 would have been burned sitting on the couch (1 MET), so the walk added about 280 calories — the net figure. Use the net number when you add exercise to a daily calorie budget from the TDEE calculator, because your resting burn is already counted there.
A common question is 10,000 steps. At a moderate walking pace that is roughly 7–8 km (4.5–5 miles) and about 90–100 minutes, which for a 70 kg (155 lb) adult works out to around 420–470 calories gross, or 310–340 net.
Calories burned in 30 minutes
| Activity | MET | 125 lb (57 kg) | 155 lb (70 kg) | 185 lb (84 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking — moderate, 2.8–3.4 mph (4.5–5.5 km/h) | 3.8 | 113 | 140 | 167 |
| Walking — brisk, 3.5–3.9 mph (5.6–6.3 km/h) | 4.8 | 143 | 177 | 211 |
| Running — 6 mph (9.7 km/h, 10:00 min/mile) | 9.3 | 277 | 343 | 410 |
| Cycling — 12–13.9 mph (19–22 km/h), moderate effort | 8 | 238 | 295 | 352 |
| Stationary bike — general | 6.8 | 202 | 251 | 300 |
| Elliptical trainer — moderate | 5 | 149 | 185 | 220 |
| Weight training — 8–15 reps, several exercises | 3.5 | 104 | 129 | 154 |
| Swimming laps — freestyle, slow | 5.8 | 173 | 214 | 256 |
| Tennis — general | 6.8 | 202 | 251 | 300 |
| Yoga — hatha | 2.3 | 68 | 85 | 101 |
| House cleaning — general | 3.3 | 98 | 122 | 145 |
| Mowing the lawn — walking mower | 5.5 | 164 | 203 | 242 |
How accurate is it?
MET values are averages measured in groups of people. Your own burn can differ by 10–20% or more: fitter people are more efficient at a given pace, muscle burns more than fat at rest, and terrain, wind, water temperature and technique all change the cost. The Compendium’s standard MET also assumes a typical resting rate, so it tends to overestimate slightly for people with a large body or older age. Fitness trackers have their own errors — studies of wrist devices regularly find energy estimates off by 20% or more. Use the numbers to compare activities and plan, then let your weight trend over a few weeks tell you what is really happening. If you have a heart condition or are starting vigorous exercise after a long break, check with a doctor first.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does walking burn?
At 3 mph (moderate pace, 3.8 METs) a 155 lb person burns about 140 calories in 30 minutes; at a brisk 3.5–3.9 mph (4.8 METs), about 177. Heavier people burn more, lighter people less — enter your own weight above.
Is running or cycling better for burning calories?
Per minute, running usually burns more: running at 6 mph is 9.3 METs, while cycling at 12–13.9 mph is 8.0. But the best activity is the one you can keep doing; cycling is easier on the joints, so many people can do more of it.
What does “net calories” mean?
Net calories are the extra calories the activity burned beyond your resting metabolism. If you sat still for the same time you would burn about 1 MET anyway, so net = (MET − 1) × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200 × minutes. Use net calories when adding exercise to a daily calorie target.
Why does my fitness watch show a different number?
Watches estimate from heart rate and movement with their own formulas, and both they and MET tables carry errors of 10–20% or more. Neither is exact; pick one method and use it consistently.
Does weight lifting burn many calories?
Less than most cardio during the session: typical gym training with 8–15 reps is 3.5 METs, about 130 calories in 30 minutes for a 155 lb person. Its value is in building muscle and strength, not in the calories burned while lifting.
Last updated: October 14, 2026