Calories Burned Calculator - MET Method for 23 Activities

Pick your activity, get your burn

Select one of 23 activities, enter your weight and how long you exercised. The calculator multiplies the activity's MET value (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) by your body weight and duration to estimate total energy expenditure. It also shows your hourly burn rate, how long it would take to burn 500 kcal at that pace, and what your calorie burn translates to in everyday food terms.

Quick example

A 75 kg person running at moderate pace (10 km/h, MET = 10) for 30 minutes:
Calories burned: 375 kcal | Hourly rate: 750 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 40 min
Food equivalent: 1 Big Mac (540 kcal) or a serving of fries (312 kcal)

How to use this calculator - step by step

Body weight - enter your current weight in kilograms. Heavier individuals burn more calories for the same activity and duration. For best accuracy, weigh yourself in the morning before eating. Range: 30-200 kg.
Activity type - select from 23 activities ranging from sitting (MET 1.5) to fast running (MET 12). Each activity has a fixed MET value that represents its energy cost as a multiple of your resting metabolic rate. If your exact activity is not listed, pick the closest match by intensity.
Duration - enter how many minutes you exercised. For mixed sessions (e.g. 20 min running + 10 min walking), calculate each segment separately. Range: 1-480 minutes.
Read your results - total calories burned, hourly burn rate, time needed to burn 500 kcal at that pace, a food equivalent for perspective, and personalized recommendations based on your intensity level.

What is MET and why it matters

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It expresses the energy cost of an activity as a multiple of your resting metabolic rate. Sitting quietly has a MET of 1.0. Walking at 5 km/h has a MET of 3.5 - meaning you burn 3.5 times more energy than at rest. HIIT training reaches MET 10 or higher.

The formula is straightforward: Calories = MET x weight (kg) x time (hours). A 70 kg person doing yoga (MET 3) for 60 minutes burns 3 x 70 x 1 = 210 kcal. The same person doing HIIT (MET 10) for 30 minutes burns 10 x 70 x 0.5 = 350 kcal. The MET value captures the core difference between activities far better than subjective effort ratings.

MET values for all 23 activities

Activity	MET	kcal/h (70 kg)	Intensity
Sitting (desk work)	1.5	105	Sedentary
House cleaning	2.5	175	Light
Yoga / Pilates	3.0	210	Light
Walking (5 km/h)	3.5	245	Light-moderate
Gardening	4.0	280	Moderate
Brisk walking (6 km/h)	4.5	315	Moderate
Aerobics / Zumba / Gym strength	5.0	350	Moderate
Recreational cycling / swimming	6.0	420	Moderate-high
Tennis / Football / Basketball	6-7	420-490	High
Slow running (8 km/h) / Moderate cycling	8.0	560	High
Intensive swimming	9.0	630	High
Moderate running / Fast cycling / HIIT	10.0	700	Very high
Competitive freestyle swimming	11.0	770	Very high
Fast running (12+ km/h)	12.0	840	Extreme

Practical examples

Morning jog
Weight: 75 kg, Activity: slow running (MET 8), Duration: 45 min.
Burned: 450 kcal | Hourly rate: 600 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 50 min.

Lunch break walk
Weight: 65 kg, Activity: brisk walking (MET 4.5), Duration: 30 min.
Burned: 146 kcal | Hourly rate: 293 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 103 min.

HIIT session
Weight: 80 kg, Activity: HIIT/CrossFit (MET 10), Duration: 25 min.
Burned: 333 kcal | Hourly rate: 800 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 38 min.

Evening swim
Weight: 70 kg, Activity: intensive swimming (MET 9), Duration: 40 min.
Burned: 420 kcal | Hourly rate: 630 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 48 min.

Desk work (for comparison)
Weight: 75 kg, Activity: sitting (MET 1.5), Duration: 60 min.
Burned: 113 kcal | Hourly rate: 113 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 267 min (over 4 hours).

Gym strength session
Weight: 85 kg, Activity: gym - strength training (MET 5), Duration: 60 min.
Burned: 425 kcal | Hourly rate: 425 kcal/h | Time to 500 kcal: 71 min.

Weight and calorie burn - the linear relationship

The MET formula is directly proportional to body weight. A heavier person burns more calories doing the exact same activity for the same time. This is not an error - moving a larger mass requires more energy.

Body weight	30 min walking (MET 3.5)	30 min running (MET 10)	30 min HIIT (MET 10)
55 kg	96 kcal	275 kcal	275 kcal
70 kg	123 kcal	350 kcal	350 kcal
85 kg	149 kcal	425 kcal	425 kcal
100 kg	175 kcal	500 kcal	500 kcal

Notice: a 100 kg person burns 500 kcal in 30 minutes of running. A 55 kg person needs about 55 minutes at the same pace to reach the same number. This is why calorie targets for weight loss should always be personalized.

Limitations of the MET method

The MET system is based on population averages from the Ainsworth Compendium of Physical Activities. It does not account for individual fitness level, muscle mass, exercise technique or environmental conditions (heat, altitude, wind). A trained runner and a beginner running at the same pace will get the same MET-based estimate, even though the beginner likely burns somewhat more calories due to lower mechanical efficiency. For most people, the MET method is accurate within 10-15% - precise enough for tracking trends, not precise enough for clinical nutrition planning.

FAQ

Is the MET method accurate?

For most people, MET-based estimates fall within 10-15% of actual calorie expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry. The method is most accurate for sustained aerobic activities (walking, running, cycling) and less accurate for interval training (HIIT) where intensity fluctuates. It does not account for the afterburn effect (EPOC) - after intense exercise, your metabolism stays elevated for hours, burning additional calories not captured by the MET formula.

Which activity burns the most calories per minute?

From the 23 activities in this calculator, fast running (12+ km/h) has the highest MET of 12.0, followed by competitive freestyle swimming (11.0) and HIIT/CrossFit (10.0). However, sustainability matters: most people can maintain HIIT for 20-30 minutes but can run at a moderate pace for 60+ minutes. Total calorie burn often favors the activity you can sustain longer.

Does heavier weight always mean more calories burned?

Yes, in the MET formula. An 80 kg person always burns more than a 60 kg person doing the same activity for the same duration. This is physics: moving more mass requires more energy. This is also why calorie burn decreases as you lose weight - at 70 kg, a 30-minute run burns fewer calories than it did at 90 kg. To maintain the same burn rate as you lose weight, you need to increase intensity or duration.

How long does it take to burn 500 kcal?

It depends entirely on the activity and your weight. For a 70 kg person: fast running (12 km/h) takes about 36 min, moderate running (10 km/h) about 43 min, cycling at 20 km/h about 54 min, brisk walking about 95 min, and yoga about 143 min. The calculator shows this value for your specific weight and chosen activity.

Can I use this for weight loss planning?

Yes, as part of a broader strategy. A calorie deficit of 500 kcal per day leads to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. You can create this deficit through exercise alone, diet alone, or a combination. For example: 30 minutes of moderate running burns about 350 kcal for a 70 kg person - pair that with a small dietary reduction of 150 kcal and you reach the 500 kcal target. Use the BMR & TDEE Calculator to find your total daily needs first.

What about the afterburn effect (EPOC)?

Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) is real but often overstated. After moderate exercise, EPOC adds roughly 5-10% to your session total. After truly intense exercise (heavy lifting, sprints, HIIT), EPOC can add 10-15% and last up to 24 hours. This calculator shows the during-exercise burn only. If you did 30 minutes of HIIT and burned 350 kcal, the actual total including EPOC might be closer to 385-400 kcal.

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