Calories Burned Calculator
This estimates calories burned for dozens of activities using MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference researchers use, scaled to your bodyweight. The numbers are deliberately honest, unlike the inflated figures on most trackers.
How it's calculated
Every activity has a MET value, how many times harder than rest it is. The burn is:
Calories = METs × 3.5 × weight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes
Burn scales with bodyweight, which is why a heavier person burns more doing the same activity, and why generic "500 calories per class" claims are meaningless.1
Why trackers say more
Wrist trackers and cardio machines tend to overestimate, often by 20–40%, and many don't even ask your weight. They also usually report your total calories during exercise, including the ones you'd burn anyway. If you plan to eat back what you burn, use half of any estimate to stay honest.
The bigger point
Look at the numbers and you'll see it's easier to not eat calories than to burn them. A hard 30-minute run is often under 400 calories, one dessert. Exercise is superb for health, strength and mood; let your diet do the heavy lifting on fat loss.
Common questions
Why is my tracker's number higher?
Trackers estimate from heart rate and motion and tend to err high; many ignore your weight. This calculator uses standardised MET values scaled to your weight, which is more conservative and usually closer to reality.
Should I eat back calories I burn?
If at all, eat back only about half, because both the burn estimate and your food tracking carry error. Better still, set your calorie target with activity already included and treat workouts as a bonus.
Do I burn calories after exercise too?
A little, the 'afterburn' (EPOC), but it's modest, usually a small percentage on top, not the hundreds of bonus calories often claimed.
Want the full plan, not just a number?
Lean28 turns these numbers into a 28-day meal and workout plan, free.
Build my free planSources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575-1581. Updated online at pacompendium.com. Source
This calculator is general information, not medical advice, and its results are estimates for healthy adults. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, or manage a medical condition.
