What formula does this calories burned calculator use?

It uses the Compendium of Physical Activities MET method: kcal/min = (MET × 3.5 × weight_kg) / 200, then multiplied by minutes.

METs (Metabolic Equivalents) are standardized activity intensities relative to resting metabolism. 1 MET approximates resting energy use.

How accurate are calorie estimates?

They are estimates. Individual variation (fitness level, body composition, temperature, terrain) can change actual energy expenditure.

Can I use pounds instead of kilograms?

Yes. Enter your weight and choose lb; the calculator converts to kilograms internally.

Is this tool medical advice?

No. It is an educational tool. Consult a qualified professional for medical or training advice.

Can I enter a custom MET value?

Yes. Toggle Custom MET to input a specific MET (e.g., from lab testing or a trusted database).

Calories Burned Calculator

Accurately estimate calories burned for hundreds of activities using scientifically validated MET values. Mobile-first, accessible, and fast — the professional calories burned calculator.

Activity & Inputs

kg lb

Hours

Minutes

Auto Custom

Total calories burned

0 kcal

Calories per minute 0.00 kcal/min

Energy (kJ) 0 kJ

Duration (total) 0 min

MET used —

Weight used —

Note: Estimates rely on the Compendium MET method and may vary with personal physiology, environment, and effort.

How to Use This Calculator

Use this professional calories burned calculator to estimate your energy expenditure for hundreds of vetted activities. Select an activity, enter your weight, choose how long you performed the motion, and opt for the Compendium-provided MET or a custom value.

Select the activity that best describes your effort. The auto mode fills the MET value from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Enter your current body weight and choose kilograms or pounds. The tool converts pounds to kilograms behind the scenes.
Provide the total time in hours and minutes. The calculator enforces a minimum of one minute.
Use Custom MET when you have a lab-measured intensity. Otherwise keep Auto selected to trust the Compendium value.
Press Calculate to refresh the results dashboard instantly. Inputs also trigger an automatic recalculation after a brief pause.

Data Source & Methodology

Authoritative Data Source: Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. The Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2011;43(8):1575–1581. Direct link to the Compendium.

Tutti i calcoli si basano rigorosamente sulle formule e sui dati forniti da questa fonte.

Methodology

The calculator converts your weight and MET value into an energy burn rate, multiplies that rate by the duration, and then expresses the total in kilocalories and kilojoules. The formulas are derived from the Compendium of Physical Activities and reflect how energy expenditure is reported in research and clinical settings.

Activity: The specific physical task you choose, each mapped to an authoritative MET value.
MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task): A multiple of resting metabolic rate. Higher METs mean more energy burned per minute.
Body weight: The mass you provide—in kilograms or pounds—which the calculator converts to kilograms for the formula.
Duration: Total minutes of effort captured via the hours and minutes fields.
Calories per minute: The rate of energy expenditure during the activity (kcal/min).
Total calories: The full energy cost across the entire duration (kcal).
Energy (kJ): The kilojoule equivalent using the conversion factor kJ = kcal × 4.184.

How It Works: Step-by-Step Example

Scenario: Jamie weighs 70 kg and runs at 6.0 mph (9.7 km/h) for 30 minutes. The Compendium MET value is 9.8.

Calculate the calories burned per minute from the MET and Jamie's weight. The result is roughly 12.01 kcal per minute.
Multiply the per-minute burn by 30 minutes to get about 360 kcal total.
Convert the total to kilojoules: 360 kcal is approximately 1,506 kJ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a calories burned calculator?

It estimates energy expenditure for a chosen activity based on standardized MET values, your weight, and the time you spent performing the movement.

Where do the MET values come from?

From the peer-reviewed Compendium of Physical Activities by Ainsworth and colleagues, which is widely used in research and clinical settings.

Should I use Auto or Custom MET?

Auto loads the Compendium’s MET for the activity selected. Switch to Custom only when you have a lab-measured value or another trusted MET specific to your context.

Does speed or pace matter?

Yes. Many activities include multiple pace-based entries with different METs. Pick the option that best describes your intensity.

Why might my wearable show a different number?

Wearables often use proprietary models with heart rate, GPS, and movement data. The Compendium method is standardized, not personalized to your physiology.

Is there a minimum duration?

Yes. The calculator requires at least 1 minute in total duration to compute results.

Is this medical advice?

No. This tool is for education and planning. Consult a healthcare or exercise professional for personalized guidance.

Formulas

Calories per minute

\[\mathrm{kcal}_{\text{per min}}=\frac{\text{MET}\times 3.5 \times \text{weight}_{\mathrm{kg}}}{200}\]

Total calories over the workout

\[\mathrm{kcal}_{\text{total}}=\mathrm{kcal}_{\text{per min}}\times t_{\text{min}}\]

Unit conversions

\[\text{weight}_{\mathrm{kg}}=\text{weight}_{\mathrm{lb}}\times 0.45359237 \quad\quad \mathrm{kJ}=\mathrm{kcal}\times 4.184\]

Sample calculation (Jamie, running 6.0 mph)

\[\mathrm{kcal/min}=\frac{9.8\times 3.5\times 70}{200}=12.005\ \mathrm{kcal/min}\ (\approx 12.01)\]

Sample total calories

\[\mathrm{kcal}_{\text{total}}=12.005\times 30=360.15\ \mathrm{kcal}\ (\approx 360\ \mathrm{kcal})\]

Sample energy in kilojoules

\[\mathrm{kJ}=360.15\times 4.184=1506.2\ \mathrm{kJ}\]

Variables and units

Activity: The selected Compendium entry paired with a MET value.
MET: Intensity multiplier relative to resting metabolism.
weight: Your body mass input (kg or lb, converted internally to kg).
t_min: Total duration of the activity in minutes.
kcal: Kilocalories, the standard energy unit.
kJ: Kilojoules, converted via the constant 4.184.

Citations

Health and Fitness — calcdomain.com · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://calcdomain.com/health-fitness

Direct link to the Compendium — sites.google.com · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/

Changelog

0.1.0-draft — 2026-01-19:
- Initial audit spec draft generated from HTML extraction (review required).
- Verify formulas match the calculator engine and convert any text-only formulas to LaTeX.
- Confirm sources are authoritative and relevant to the calculator methodology.

✓ Verified by Ugo Candido Last Updated: 2026-01-19 Version 0.1.0-draft

Version 1.5.0