Exercise Calorie Burn Calculator
Estimate exercise energy expenditure from body weight, activity MET value and duration using the standard MET calorie equation.
Estimate calories burned during exercise
Use body weight, activity intensity in METs and exercise duration to estimate energy expenditure.
Exercise calorie formula
This calculator uses the common MET equation: calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight in kilograms ÷ 200. Multiplying that value by exercise duration gives the estimated total calories.
What is a MET?
A metabolic equivalent (MET) expresses the energy cost of an activity relative to a standard resting reference. The Compendium of Physical Activities explains that standard MET values are useful for classifying activity intensity but were not created to predict an individual person’s exact energy cost. Compendium MET guidance.
Choose the activity MET carefully
Walking, cycling, swimming and gym exercises can have very different MET values depending on speed, resistance and technique. A generic activity label can therefore produce a broad estimate. Use the closest researched intensity rather than assuming every version of an activity has the same MET.
Why wearable calories can differ
Wearables may combine heart rate, motion sensors and proprietary models, while this tool uses only weight, MET and time. Neither method should be treated as laboratory-grade calorimetry.
Why actual calorie burn can differ
MET values are population-level activity estimates. Actual energy expenditure varies with movement economy, terrain, temperature, body composition, fitness, equipment and how intensely the activity is performed. Machine displays and wearable estimates can also use proprietary assumptions. For training logs, the most useful practice is to apply one consistent method and focus on trends rather than treating a single calorie estimate as laboratory measurement.