How many calories burned?
Pick an activity, then enter your weight and how many minutes you did it. See the calories burned, from the activity’s MET value in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities.
- Calories burned
- 354
30 minutes of this activity at 160 lb burns about 354 calories.
- Above resting
- 316
- Calories per hour
- 709
- MET value
- 9.3
Calories burned: 354. 30 minutes of this activity at 160 lb burns about 354 calories.
This calculator gives general information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor or other health care provider. Talk with a professional about your results. Terms of use
How to calculate
Estimates the calories burned in an exercise or activity from its MET value in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, body weight and minutes.
Example with the default inputs (Activity Running, 6 to 6.3 mph (10 min/mile), Weight 160 lb, Minutes 30): 30 minutes of this activity at 160 lb burns about 354 calories.
Method: Calories = MET × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200 × minutes (2024 Adult Compendium unit conversions).
- MET values are the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities values for adults aged 19 to 59.
- One MET is 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute, and a litre of oxygen is 5 kcal, so kcal per minute = MET × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200.
- The result is an average for the activity; fitness, effort, age and body make-up change the real number.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Activity Running, 6 to 6.3 mph (10 min/mile), Weight 160 lb, Minutes 30 gives Calories burned 354.346359, Above resting 316.2446, Calories per hour 708.692719, MET value 9.3.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium (Herrmann and others, 2024), code 12050, 9.3 MET
- Activity Swimming laps, freestyle, slow, Weight 154.3 lb, Minutes 45 gives Calories burned 319.725, Above resting 264.6, MET value 5.8.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium (Herrmann and others, 2024), code 18240, 5.8 MET
- Activity Yoga, Hatha, Weight 132.3 lb, Minutes 60 gives Calories burned 144.9, Above resting 81.9, Calories per hour 144.9.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium (Herrmann and others, 2024), code 02150, 2.3 MET
- Activity Sitting quietly, Weight 176.4 lb, Minutes 60 gives Calories burned 84, Above resting 0, MET value 1.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium (Herrmann and others, 2024), code 07021, 1.0 MET
How it works
Each activity in the list is one code from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, with its MET value unchanged. With your weight in kilograms (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg) and the minutes you did the activity:
- calories burned = MET × 3.5 × weight ÷ 200 × minutes;
- above resting = (MET − 1) × 3.5 × weight ÷ 200 × minutes;
- calories per hour = MET × 3.5 × weight ÷ 200 × 60.
MET × 3.5 is the oxygen uptake in mL per kg per minute; multiplying by the weight and dividing by 1,000 gives litres of oxygen a minute, and each litre is about 5 kcal. That is where "÷ 200" comes from. Minutes are whole numbers from 1 to 1,440; weight is 20 to 350 kg (44 to 772 lb). The results are rounded to whole calories for display only.
The activities and their Compendium codes and MET values:
| Activity | Code | MET |
|---|---|---|
| Walking, moderate pace (2.8 to 3.4 mph) | 17190 | 3.8 |
| Walking, brisk (3.5 to 3.9 mph) | 17200 | 4.8 |
| Hiking, cross country | 17080 | 6.0 |
| Jogging, general | 12020 | 7.5 |
| Running, 5.0 to 5.2 mph (12 min/mile) | 12030 | 8.5 |
| Running, 6 to 6.3 mph (10 min/mile) | 12050 | 9.3 |
| Running, 7 mph (8.5 min/mile) | 12070 | 11.0 |
| Running, 8 mph (7.5 min/mile) | 12090 | 12.0 |
| Running, 10 mph (6 min/mile) | 12120 | 14.8 |
| Stair climbing, general | 17131 | 6.8 |
| Cycling, under 10 mph, leisure | 01010 | 4.0 |
| Cycling, 10 to 11.9 mph, light effort | 01020 | 6.8 |
| Cycling, 12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort | 01030 | 8.0 |
| Cycling, 14 to 15.9 mph, vigorous effort | 01040 | 10.0 |
| Stationary bike, general | 01200 | 6.8 |
| Spin class | 01270 | 9.0 |
| Aerobics, general | 02000 | 7.3 |
| Elliptical trainer, moderate effort | 02048 | 5.0 |
| Elliptical trainer, vigorous effort | 02049 | 9.0 |
| Weight training, 8 to 15 reps | 02054 | 3.5 |
| Weight lifting, vigorous effort | 02050 | 6.0 |
| Calisthenics, moderate effort | 02022 | 3.8 |
| Calisthenics, vigorous effort | 02020 | 7.5 |
| Circuit training, vigorous effort | 02040 | 7.5 |
| HIIT (burpees, Tabata), vigorous effort | 02214 | 11.0 |
| Jumping rope | 02068 | 11.0 |
| Rowing machine, under 100 watts | 02071 | 5.0 |
| Rowing machine, 100 to 149 watts | 02072 | 7.5 |
| Stair climber machine | 02065 | 9.3 |
| Yoga, Hatha | 02150 | 2.3 |
| Yoga, power | 02160 | 4.0 |
| Pilates, general | 02105 | 2.8 |
| Zumba class | 02310 | 6.5 |
| Stretching, mild | 02101 | 2.3 |
| Basketball, general | 15055 | 7.5 |
| Soccer, casual | 15610 | 7.0 |
| Soccer, competitive | 15605 | 9.5 |
| Tennis, general | 15675 | 6.8 |
| Tennis, doubles | 15685 | 4.5 |
| Tennis, singles | 15690 | 8.0 |
| Volleyball | 15710 | 4.0 |
| Golf, walking and carrying clubs | 15265 | 4.3 |
| Golf, using a cart | 15290 | 3.5 |
| Softball or baseball | 15620 | 5.0 |
| Football, touch or flag | 15230 | 8.0 |
| Ice hockey | 15360 | 8.0 |
| Martial arts, moderate pace | 15430 | 10.3 |
| Boxing, punching bag | 15110 | 5.8 |
| Rock climbing, easy to moderate | 15537 | 5.8 |
| Racquetball | 15530 | 7.0 |
| Roller skating | 15590 | 7.0 |
| Tai chi or qi gong | 15670 | 3.3 |
| Horseback riding | 15370 | 5.5 |
| Swimming laps, freestyle, slow | 18240 | 5.8 |
| Swimming laps, freestyle, fast | 18230 | 9.8 |
| Swimming, breaststroke, recreational | 18265 | 5.3 |
| Swimming, backstroke, recreational | 18255 | 4.8 |
| Swimming, leisurely | 18310 | 6.0 |
| Water aerobics | 18355 | 5.5 |
| Kayaking, moderate effort | 18100 | 5.0 |
| Canoeing or rowing for pleasure | 18070 | 3.5 |
| Surfing | 18220 | 3.0 |
| Downhill skiing or snowboarding, moderate | 19160 | 6.3 |
| Cross-country skiing, moderate | 19090 | 8.5 |
| Ice skating, general | 19030 | 7.0 |
| Snowshoeing, moderate | 19190 | 5.3 |
| Shoveling snow, moderate effort | 19252 | 5.3 |
| Dancing, vigorous (nightclub, line, folk) | 03031 | 9.8 |
| Ballroom dancing, slow | 03040 | 3.0 |
| Ballet, modern or jazz dance | 03010 | 5.0 |
| House cleaning, moderate effort | 05030 | 3.3 |
| Vacuuming | 05043 | 3.0 |
| Cooking | 05050 | 2.0 |
| Gardening, moderate effort | 08245 | 3.8 |
| Mowing the lawn, power mower | 08120 | 5.0 |
| Raking leaves | 08160 | 4.0 |
| Sitting quietly | 07021 | 1.0 |
| Standing quietly | 07040 | 1.3 |
| Sleeping | 07030 | 1.0 |
Rounding. Results are shown rounded half up from the decimal value, so 31.5 calories show as 32 and 661.5 as 662. A computer’s arithmetic can leave a result such as 31.5 stored as 31.499999999999996, so each result is first rounded to 12 significant digits, which gives back the decimal value, and is then shown rounded half up.
Assumptions
- MET values are the Compendium’s averages for adults aged 19 to 59. The Compendium has a separate list for adults 60 and older.
- The formula counts the whole time as active time. Rest breaks during the activity lower the real number.
- This calculator gives an estimate for general information. It is not medical advice.
Worked examples by hand
Running at 6 mph (code 12050, 9.3 MET) for 30 minutes at 160 lb. 160 lb = 72.575 kg. Per minute: 9.3 × 3.5 × 72.575 ÷ 200 = 11.811 kcal. Over 30 minutes: 354 calories; above resting: 8.3 × 3.5 × 72.575 ÷ 200 × 30 = 316; per hour: 709.
Swimming laps, freestyle, slow (code 18240, 5.8 MET) for 45 minutes at 70 kg. 5.8 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 45 = 319.7 calories; above resting: 4.8 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 45 = 264.6.
Hatha yoga (code 02150, 2.3 MET) for an hour at 60 kg. 2.3 × 3.5 × 60 ÷ 200 × 60 = 144.9 calories; above resting: 1.3 × 3.5 × 60 ÷ 200 × 60 = 81.9.
Sitting quietly (code 07021, 1.0 MET) for an hour at 80 kg. 1 × 3.5 × 80 ÷ 200 × 60 = 84 calories, all of it resting: 0 above resting.
Other questions people ask
How are calories burned calculated?
Each activity has a MET value: how many times more energy it takes than sitting quietly. Calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × your weight in kg ÷ 200. For example, running at 6 mph (9.3 MET) for 30 minutes at 160 lb (72.6 kg): 9.3 × 3.5 × 72.6 ÷ 200 × 30 = 354 calories.
What is a MET?
A metabolic equivalent. One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly, about 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute, or about 1 kcal per kg per hour. An activity of 6 MET uses six times as much.
Why do heavier people burn more calories?
Moving a heavier body takes more energy. MET values are per kilogram, so at the same MET, calories burned rise in step with weight: 200 lb burns 25% more than 160 lb.
What does "above resting" mean?
It is the extra energy the activity took, beyond what you would have burned sitting still for the same time: (MET − 1) out of every MET. For weight loss, the extra is what counts, because you would burn the resting part anyway.
Where do the MET values come from?
From the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann and others, 2024), a standard list of measured energy costs for adults aged 19 to 59. Each activity here is one Compendium code, and its MET value is used unchanged.
How accurate is this?
It gives an average for the activity. Fitness, effort, technique, age and body composition can move the real number up or down. A heart rate monitor can give a more personal estimate.