Calories Burned Calculator
How many calories you burn walking, running, cycling, lifting and 30+ other activities — based on published MET values.
What is a MET?
A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a multiple of your resting metabolism. Sitting quietly is 1 MET; running at 6 mph is about 9.8 METs — you burn energy nearly ten times faster than at rest. MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard reference used in exercise research.
Getting more out of the same minutes
- Weight matters: a 200-lb person burns ~30% more than a 150-lb person doing the identical workout.
- Intensity beats duration for time efficiency: 20 minutes at 10 METs out-burns 40 minutes at 4 METs.
- NEAT adds up: walking, stairs and chores quietly out-burn most gym sessions across a full week.
Should you eat back exercise calories?
Be careful. If your TDEE already includes an active lifestyle factor, your workouts are counted — eating them back double-counts. Trackers also overestimate. A safe rule: log exercise conservatively (50-75% of estimates) or keep activity level modest and let workouts accelerate results.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does a 30-minute walk burn?
A brisk 30-minute walk (3.5 mph) burns roughly 140-210 kcal depending on body weight — about 4.3 METs. The calculator personalizes it to your exact weight.
How many calories do 10,000 steps burn?
Roughly 300-500 kcal for most adults, depending on weight, pace and terrain. Ten thousand steps is about 4-5 miles of walking.
Which exercise burns the most calories?
Per minute: running, jump rope and vigorous cycling top the chart at 10-12 METs. Per week: whatever you will actually do consistently wins.
Why does my watch show more calories than this?
Wrist devices infer effort from heart rate and motion, and validation studies find they commonly overshoot by 15-30% or more. MET-based math is a steadier baseline.
References
- Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2011.
- Shcherbina A, et al. Accuracy of wrist-worn devices in energy expenditure. J Pers Med, 2017.