How calorie burn is estimated
The calories you burn in a workout depend on three things: how intense the activity is, how much you weigh, and how long you do it. This calculator combines all three using a well-established system called METs.
What a MET is
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) measures how hard an activity is compared with sitting still. Sitting is 1 MET; brisk walking is about 3.5; running is close to 10. The formula is simple:
Calories per hour = MET × your weight in kg. Multiply by the fraction of an hour you exercise to get the total. A heavier person burns more for the same activity because moving more mass costs more energy.
What changes your burn
- Body weight. More mass burns more calories at the same activity.
- Intensity. Faster pace, hills and resistance all raise the real MET.
- Fitness. Fitter people are more efficient and may burn slightly less for the same task.
- Terrain and temperature. Wind, hills, heat and cold all nudge the number.
Using the number
Knowing your burn helps you balance energy. Pair it with your TDEE to see how exercise adds to your daily total, and with the calorie calculator to set loss or gain targets. Remember that you don't usually need to "eat back" every calorie burned — activity is already part of a sensible target.
Helpful tools
Track calories, heart rate and distance on every workout.
View options →Personalise your calorie burn with real effort data.
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Frequently asked questions
How are calories burned calculated?
From MET values: calories per hour ≈ MET × your body weight in kilograms, multiplied by your workout duration. Intensity, terrain and fitness adjust the real figure.
Why does weight affect calories burned?
Moving a heavier body requires more energy, so a heavier person burns more calories doing the same activity for the same time.
Are MET-based estimates accurate?
They're good averages for planning. For a more personal figure, a heart-rate monitor or GPS device accounts for your actual effort and fitness.
Should I eat back the calories I burn?
Usually not all of them. If your calorie target already assumes an active lifestyle, eating back every burned calorie can cancel out a deficit.