Calories Burned Calculator
How many calories does your workout actually burn?
The calories burned calculator estimates how many kilocalories you burn during exercise using the scientifically validated MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) formula. Select your activity, enter your body weight and workout duration, and get an accurate calorie burn estimate — along with a comparison across 8 other activities for the same effort.
How the MET formula works
MET is a measure of exercise intensity relative to sitting at rest (1 MET = ~1 kcal per kg per hour). The formula is:
Calories = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours)
For example, running at a moderate pace (MET 8.0) for 30 minutes at 70 kg: 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal. A heavier person burns more calories doing the same activity at the same intensity because their body requires more energy to move.
Calories burned by activity — comparison at 70 kg / 30 minutes
| Activity | MET | Calories (30 min) |
|---|---|---|
| Jump rope | 11.0 | 385 kcal |
| Running (10 km/h) | 9.8 | 343 kcal |
| Swimming (vigorous) | 9.8 | 343 kcal |
| Running (8 km/h) | 8.0 | 280 kcal |
| Cycling (vigorous) | 8.0 | 280 kcal |
| HIIT | 8.0 | 280 kcal |
| Rowing (moderate) | 7.0 | 245 kcal |
| Soccer | 7.0 | 245 kcal |
| Cycling (moderate) | 6.0 | 210 kcal |
| Swimming (leisure) | 5.8 | 203 kcal |
| Hiking | 5.3 | 186 kcal |
| Elliptical | 5.0 | 175 kcal |
| Walking (brisk) | 4.3 | 151 kcal |
| Weight training | 3.5 | 123 kcal |
| Walking (moderate) | 3.5 | 123 kcal |
| Yoga | 2.5 | 88 kcal |
Why body weight matters
Calories burned scale directly with body weight — a 90 kg person burns roughly 29% more calories than a 70 kg person doing the exact same workout. This is why calorie estimates on gym machines (which don't know your weight) are often significantly wrong.
Calories burned vs. calories eaten
Exercise burns fewer calories than most people expect. A 30-minute run at 8 km/h burns about 280 kcal at 70 kg — equivalent to one chocolate bar or two slices of bread with butter. This is why diet has a much larger impact on weight loss than exercise alone. Use this calculator alongside the TDEE calculator to see your full daily energy balance.
Example
A 75 kg person goes for a 45-minute moderate run (8 km/h). Select "Running — moderate (8 km/h)", enter 75 kg and 45 minutes.
Calories = 8.0 × 75 × 0.75 = 450 kcal. That's equivalent to about 1.6 slices of pizza, or a large latte and a muffin.
The comparison table also shows that the same 45 minutes of cycling at the same intensity would burn the same 450 kcal — but yoga would only burn 141 kcal and jump rope would burn 619 kcal. Use this to choose the activity that fits your schedule and calorie target.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories do you burn running for 30 minutes?
It depends on your weight and pace. At 70 kg running at a moderate pace (8 km/h, MET 8.0): 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal. At 80 kg: 320 kcal. At a faster 10 km/h pace (MET 9.8): 343 kcal at 70 kg. The calculator adjusts for your exact weight and chosen pace.
How many calories do you burn walking 10,000 steps?
10,000 steps is roughly 7–8 km depending on stride length, taking approximately 70–90 minutes of walking. At a moderate walking pace (MET 3.5) for 80 minutes at 70 kg: 3.5 × 70 × 1.33 = 326 kcal. Heavier walkers burn more; faster walkers burn slightly more per step.
Does weight affect how many calories you burn exercising?
Yes — significantly. A 90 kg person burns about 29% more calories than a 70 kg person doing the identical workout at the same intensity. Calories = MET × weight (kg) × hours. This is why gym machines that don't ask for your weight give inaccurate estimates.
How many calories does 1 hour of cycling burn?
At leisure pace (<16 km/h, MET 4.0) at 70 kg: 4.0 × 70 × 1 = 280 kcal. At moderate pace (16–19 km/h, MET 6.0): 420 kcal. At vigorous pace (20+ km/h, MET 8.0): 560 kcal per hour at 70 kg. Intensity makes a bigger difference than duration.
How accurate are calorie burn calculators?
MET-based calculators are accurate within ±15–20% for most people doing steady-state cardio. Factors like fitness level, terrain, heat, and individual metabolism can shift actual burn. HIIT and weight training estimates are less precise because these exercises create significant post-workout calorie burn (EPOC) that MET values don't capture.
What activity burns the most calories?
Per hour at 70 kg, the highest calorie burns are: jump rope (770 kcal), running very fast 12+ km/h (770 kcal), swimming vigorously (686 kcal), HIIT (560 kcal). High-intensity activities burn far more than steady-state cardio — a 20-minute HIIT session can burn more than 45 minutes of walking.
How many calories does 30 minutes of HIIT burn?
HIIT has a MET of approximately 8.0 during the session. At 70 kg for 30 minutes: 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal. However, HIIT also creates excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), potentially adding 60–200 additional calories burned over the following 12–24 hours — making its total burn significantly higher than steady cardio.
How many calories does yoga burn in an hour?
Yoga has a MET of approximately 2.5. At 70 kg for 60 minutes: 2.5 × 70 × 1 = 175 kcal. This is relatively low compared to cardio activities, but yoga's benefits in flexibility, stress reduction, and active recovery make it valuable as a complementary activity rather than a primary calorie-burning tool.
How many calories do I burn swimming for 30 minutes?
At a leisure pace (MET 5.8) for 30 minutes at 70 kg: 5.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 203 kcal. Swimming vigorously (MET 9.8): 343 kcal. Swimming is one of the best full-body calorie burners with minimal joint impact, making it ideal if you're managing knee or hip pain.
Why does my Fitbit say I burned more calories than this calculator?
Wearable devices estimate calories using heart rate and movement data, which can overestimate by 20–93% depending on the device and activity type. MET-based calculators are generally more accurate for steady-state cardio. Neither is perfect — use either as a planning estimate, not an exact count.
How many calories do you burn hiking vs walking?
Hiking (MET 5.3) burns significantly more than moderate walking (MET 3.5) at the same duration. At 70 kg for 60 minutes: hiking = 371 kcal vs flat walking = 245 kcal. Elevation gain, pack weight, and terrain difficulty push hiking's MET even higher in practice.