Exercise Calorie Calculator
How many calories you burn by activity and time
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Calories burned are estimated with the MET formula: kcal = MET × 3.5 × body weight (kg) ÷ 200 × minutes. Heavier people and higher-intensity activities burn more. Use it to plan a calorie deficit alongside the TDEE calculator.
How to use this exercise calorie calculator
Pick your activity from the list — walking, running, cycling, swimming, HIIT and more — then enter your body weight and how many minutes you trained. Switch between metric and imperial with the unit toggle, and press calculate. The calories you burned appear instantly, with no sign-up. Each activity carries its own MET value, so choosing the right one keeps the estimate honest.
How to read your result
The number is the gross energy you spent in that single session, measured in kcal. Heavier bodies and longer or harder efforts burn more, which is why a 90 kg runner outpaces a 60 kg one at the same speed. Treat it as one input for your daily energy balance: subtract it from what you eat, or add it to your maintenance level to size a sustainable deficit.
The science behind the numbers
The estimate rests on METs, or metabolic equivalents. One MET is roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour — your body at rest — so burn is about MET times weight in kilograms times hours. Brisk walking sits near 4 MET, running climbs to 8–11, and vigorous cycling or HIIT reach double digits. These values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard reference researchers use.
Limits and practical tips
MET tables are population averages, so your real burn shifts with fitness, terrain, heat and how hard you push — read the output as a ballpark, not a precise count. Avoid double-counting: if your watch already logged the workout, do not add this figure on top, and remember EPOC keeps burning a little after you stop. Pair it with our TDEE, Steps to Calories and Calorie Deficit calculators, and log sessions in the CaloNote app to see the weekly picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does the exercise calorie calculator work?
- It estimates calories burned during an activity using its MET (metabolic equivalent) value, your body weight, and duration. Heavier people and longer or more intense sessions burn more. Pick an activity such as running, cycling, or swimming to get an estimate.
- How accurate are exercise calorie estimates?
- They are useful approximations, not exact figures. MET-based estimates assume average efficiency and don't capture individual differences in fitness, terrain, or technique, so real burn can vary by 10-20% or more. Use the number as a guide and stay consistent when comparing workouts.
- What activities burn the most calories?
- High-intensity, full-body activities like running, swimming, HIIT, and vigorous cycling burn the most per minute, while walking burns fewer but is easier to sustain. Total burn depends on intensity, duration, and your weight, so a longer moderate session can match a short intense one.