Calories Burned Calculator

This calculator estimates how many calories you burn during an activity using MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values — a standardised, research-backed measure of exercise intensity. One MET is the energy your body uses sitting quietly at rest, so an activity rated at 8 METs burns about eight times as much energy per minute as resting. By combining the activity's MET value with your body weight and how long you exercised, the tool gives a quick estimate of energy expenditure in calories. It is useful for anyone managing their weight, planning a workout, balancing food intake against activity, or simply curious how a brisk walk, a cycling session, or a game of cricket stacks up.

How it works — the formula

Calories = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)

Each activity in the list carries a MET value drawn from the Compendium of Physical Activities — for instance walking at 3 mph is about 3.5 METs, moderate cycling about 8.0, and HIIT around 9.0. Heavier people burn more calories for the same activity because moving more mass takes more energy, and longer sessions naturally burn more. The calculator also breaks the estimate down into a per-minute and per-hour burn rate so you can see intensity at a glance.

A worked example

Take a 70 kg person who runs at 5 mph (MET 8.3) for 30 minutes. Plugging in the numbers: 8.3 × 70 × 0.5 = 290.5, which rounds to about 291 calories. If the same person instead cycled at a moderate pace (MET 8.0) for the same half hour, the estimate would be roughly 280 calories; an hour of light yoga (MET 3.0) would be about 210 calories. To put that in everyday terms, 291 calories is in the ballpark of a couple of rotis with a little ghee, or a small bowl of biryani — a reminder that it is easier to eat calories than to burn them.

Putting it into a weight-loss plan

One kilogram of body fat stores roughly 7,700 calories, so to lose about half a kilo a week you need a deficit of around 500 calories a day, created through a mix of activity and diet. This calculator helps you size the activity side of that equation: if a 30-minute run nets you roughly 291 calories, you can see how it complements eating a little less. Combining moderate exercise most days with sensible portions is far more sustainable than trying to out-exercise a heavy diet, and it is gentler on your joints and schedule.

Tips for using it well

• Enter your real current weight — using an out-of-date figure skews the result in proportion.
• Count only active minutes, not rest breaks between sets, for a more honest estimate.
• Pick the activity intensity that matches how hard you actually worked; "moderate" and "vigorous" versions of the same activity have very different MET values.
• Use the figure to inform, not dominate, your eating — pairing activity with a balanced diet matters more than chasing an exact calorie count.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the number as exact. MET-based estimates carry a ±20–30% margin and do not capture your fitness level, terrain, heat, or individual metabolism.
• Double-counting your resting burn. The figure is the energy used during the activity; it includes the at-rest baseline, so do not add it again on top of your daily calorie needs.
• Eating back every burned calorie. Because the estimate can run high, "rewarding" yourself with the full amount in food can stall weight loss.
• Ignoring intensity. Logging an hour of "walking" when you actually strolled gently overstates the burn.

Accuracy and a word of caution

This is a screening and estimation tool, not a medical or diagnostic device, and it is not a substitute for professional advice. Wearable devices, gym machines and even lab tests will all give somewhat different figures. Treat the result as a reasonable guide for planning rather than a precise measurement. If you have a heart condition, are pregnant, are starting a new exercise programme, or have any health concerns, consult a doctor or qualified fitness professional before relying on these numbers.