Calories Burned Calculator: 30 Activities and Exercises
Choose an activity, enter your weight and how long you did it, and see the calories you burned, using standard MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
How calories burned are calculated
Every activity has a MET value (metabolic equivalent of task): how hard it is compared with sitting still. Sitting is 1 MET; running at 6 mph is about 9.8 METs, nearly ten times your resting burn.
Multiply the MET value by your weight and the time spent, and you get calories burned. Heavier people burn more doing the same activity because they move more mass.
The formula
Example: 70 kg running at 6 mph for 30 min → (9.8 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 308 kcal net.
Calories burned per hour by activity
Net calories per hour for a 155 lb (70 kg) person. Heavier people burn more, lighter people less.
| Activity | MET | Calories per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga (hatha) | 2.5 | ~105 |
| Walking, 3 mph | 3.5 | ~175 |
| Weight training, general | 3.5 | ~175 |
| Elliptical, moderate | 5.0 | ~280 |
| Hiking | 6.0 | ~350 |
| Rowing machine, moderate | 7.0 | ~420 |
| Cycling, 12–14 mph | 8.0 | ~490 |
| Running, 6 mph | 9.8 | ~615 |
| Jump rope, moderate | 11.8 | ~755 |
How accurate are calories burned estimates?
MET values are reliable averages from research, usually within about 10–20% for most people.
“Weight training” can mean slow sets or fast circuits. Rest periods change the real burn a lot.
Fitter people often burn slightly less for the same task because they move more efficiently.
Using exercise to lose weight
Exercise helps, but it’s slower than most people expect. A 30-minute run burns about the same as one slice of pizza. That’s why most of a calorie deficit should come from food, with exercise for health, muscle and a little extra burn.
Best value for weight loss
- Daily walking (easy to sustain)
- Strength training (protects muscle)
- Activities you enjoy enough to repeat
Plan your deficit
Set a safe calorie target with our calorie deficit calculator, then use exercise to make it easier to hit.
Calories burned FAQs
What exercise burns the most calories?
Running, jump rope, fast cycling, rowing and swimming laps burn the most per hour. The best exercise for you is the one you’ll do consistently.
Why does my watch show more calories than this calculator?
Many trackers show total calories, including what you’d burn at rest, and some overestimate. This calculator shows net calories by default, the extra burn from the activity.
Does weight affect calories burned?
Yes. A heavier person burns more calories doing the same activity for the same time because moving more mass takes more energy.
How many calories do I burn doing nothing?
That’s your BMR, usually 1,200 to 1,900 calories a day for adults. Check yours with our BMR calculator.