Calculate how many calories you burn during different exercises and activities. Enter your weight, choose your activity and duration to see estimated calories burned. Updated for 2026/27.
This calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values to estimate calories burned. MET represents the energy cost of an activity relative to resting. The formula is: Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours).
This calculator provides estimates. Actual calorie burn varies between individuals. Use these figures as a general guide for activity planning and weight management. For accurate tracking, consider using a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker.
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. A deficit of 3,500 calories equals approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight loss. Combine regular exercise with a balanced diet for best results.
Moving a heavier body requires more energy, just as driving a larger vehicle uses more fuel than a smaller one covering the same distance. Every step, arm movement or trunk rotation must overcome greater inertia and work against more gravitational force when you weigh more. A 90kg person walking at 5km/h burns approximately 340 calories per hour whilst a 60kg person burns only 225 calories at the same pace and duration — a 50% difference purely from bodyweight. This applies to all activities: carrying extra weight makes every movement costlier. Heavier individuals also have larger organs, more blood volume, and greater surface area, all requiring more energy to maintain even at rest. This is why calorie burn calculators always request your weight. However, this relationship isn't entirely linear at extremes: very obese individuals may move less efficiently with altered biomechanics, whilst very light individuals might have proportionally higher energy costs for weight-bearing activities. The practical implication is that as you lose weight, you burn fewer calories doing the same exercise, requiring you to either increase duration/intensity or accept slower weight loss as you get lighter. This is sometimes called metabolic adaptation or the "shrinking advantage" problem. Someone who's lost 20kg must work harder to burn the same calories they did at their heavier weight, which is why maintenance becomes challenging.
Yes, fitness improves mechanical efficiency and economy of movement, meaning trained individuals burn slightly fewer calories performing the same absolute workout intensity. A trained runner covering 10km uses less energy than a novice at the same pace because their movement patterns are more efficient, they waste less energy on unnecessary muscle activation, and their cardiovascular system delivers oxygen more effectively. This is called exercise economy and varies significantly between individuals even at the same fitness level. However, the difference is only 5-15% and is more than offset by fit people being capable of higher intensities. A fit person might burn 400 calories in 30 minutes because they can sustain vigorous exercise, whilst an unfit person burns 250 calories in the same time at moderate intensity they can manage. Additionally, fit individuals often have more muscle mass which increases resting metabolic rate, burning more calories 24/7 even when not exercising. Afterburn (EPOC - Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) is also greater after intense exercise, meaning fit people who train hard burn additional calories for hours post-workout. So whilst the per-unit work efficiency increases with training, overall calorie burn typically increases because fitness enables you to work harder and longer. This is why exercise is still valuable for weight management even though you become more efficient — you compensate by increasing workout intensity or duration.
Both have merit depending on goals and context. Long steady-state cardio (e.g., 60 minutes jogging at moderate pace) typically burns more total calories during the session itself than 20 minutes of high-intensity intervals. A 75kg person jogging for an hour might burn 600 calories, whilst a 20-minute HIIT session burns perhaps 250 calories. However, intense exercise creates greater EPOC (afterburn effect), elevating metabolism for 12-48 hours post-workout and potentially adding another 50-150 calories burned. Intense training also preserves or builds muscle mass better than steady cardio, and more muscle increases daily calorie burn permanently. High-intensity intervals improve VO2 max and cardiovascular fitness more efficiently per unit time. That said, steady cardio is more sustainable for daily training (you can't do intense intervals daily without overtraining), easier to recover from, can be done at higher total volumes, and many find it more enjoyable and meditative. For pure weight loss, creating a calorie deficit through diet is more efficient than either exercise approach — you'd need to run for an hour to burn off one large muffin's calories. The optimal strategy combines both: several sessions of moderate steady cardio weekly for baseline calorie burn, plus 1-2 intense sessions for metabolic benefits and muscle preservation, all alongside appropriate nutrition. Your personal adherence matters most — the best exercise for calorie burn is the one you'll actually do consistently.
MET value for running at 10km/h = 10.0. Calories = 10.0 × 70 × 0.5 hours = 350 calories burned. Per hour = 700 calories. This represents significant calorie expenditure, though eating a single chocolate bar (250 calories) would offset much of this work, illustrating why diet matters more than exercise for weight loss.
MET value for moderate cycling = 8.0. Calories = 8.0 × 85 × 0.75 hours = 510 calories burned. Per hour = 680 calories. Cycling is joint-friendly and can be sustained for longer durations than running, making it excellent for total calorie burn.
MET value for brisk walking = 4.0. Calories = 4.0 × 60 × 1.0 hours = 240 calories burned. Per hour = 240 calories. Walking burns fewer calories per minute than running but is sustainable daily, accessible to most fitness levels, and lower injury risk. Walking 10,000 steps daily (about 90 minutes) could burn 300-400 calories depending on pace.
Increase workout intensity through intervals: alternating hard efforts with recovery periods burns more calories than steady pace and creates greater EPOC. Add resistance or weight training which builds muscle that burns calories even at rest — each pound of muscle burns approximately 6 calories daily compared to 2 calories per pound of fat. Incorporate compound movements like squats, deadlifts and push-ups that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, burning more calories than isolation exercises. Increase non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) by taking stairs, walking while on calls, parking further away, and generally moving more throughout the day — NEAT can account for 200-800 calories daily difference between sedentary and active people. Shorten rest periods between sets to keep heart rate elevated. Try circuit training combining strength and cardio with minimal rest. Consider exercise timing: training in a fasted state may burn slightly more fat, though this doesn't necessarily mean greater weight loss. Stay hydrated as dehydration reduces exercise performance and calorie burn. Get adequate sleep as fatigue limits workout intensity and duration. Most importantly, understand that you cannot out-exercise a bad diet: burning 500 calories through intense exercise is easily undone by eating 600 extra calories post-workout. Exercise for health, fitness and mood benefits, and rely primarily on dietary changes for weight loss. The combination of moderate calorie restriction plus regular exercise beats either approach alone for sustainable fat loss while preserving muscle mass and metabolic rate.