🔥 Calorie Burn Calculator
Pick an activity, your body weight and how long you did it to estimate calories burned, using standard MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values. Estimates only — actual burn varies by individual and intensity.
MET value, body weight, time
Each activity in the dropdown carries a MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) figure - how many times more energy it costs than sitting quietly:
kcal = MET × weight(kg) × duration(hours)
lb to kg: weight × 0.45359237
1 MET ≈ 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hourRunning at 6 mph is MET 8.0. At 160 lb (72.575 kg) for 30 minutes: 8.0 × 72.575 × 0.5 = 290 kcal. The figure is linear in weight and time, so 200 lb over the same half hour gives 363 kcal.
Reading the number honestly
- It is gross energy, not extra energy. Roughly 1 MET of the total is the resting burn you would have had anyway; at 7.0 MET the same run comes to 254 kcal.
- MET numbers are population averages. The published compendium gives one value for "cycling, moderate". Fitness, hills, wind and heat all move the real figure.
- Pick the row that matches what you did. Running 6 mph (8.0) and 8 mph (11.0) differ by 38% over the same half hour.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does 30 minutes of running burn?
At 6 mph and 160 lb, about 290 kcal by the MET method. At 8 mph the same half hour comes to roughly 399 kcal, as the MET value rises from 8.0 to 11.0.
What does MET mean?
Metabolic Equivalent of Task. One MET is your energy cost at rest, so a 7 MET activity burns about seven times as fast as sitting still.
Does body weight change how many calories I burn?
Yes, in direct proportion. A 200 lb runner burns 25% more than a 160 lb runner over an identical session: 363 kcal against 290.