Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate how many calories you burn during any exercise or activity using scientifically-backed MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Activity
Duration
Your Body
Estimate calories burned during weight training, treadmill walking, running or another activity. Enter your bodyweight and time. The tool uses an activity’s MET value to estimate total energy during the session, including the energy you would have used at rest.
Calories burned in 30 minutes: example activities
Rounded estimates using the calculator’s activity values and MET × kg × hours. These are examples, not measured individual expenditure.
| Activity | MET | 60 kg (kcal) | 80 kg (kcal) | 100 kg (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking (3 mph / 4.8 km/h) | 3.3 | 99 | 132 | 165 |
| Treadmill walking (3.5 mph) | 3.8 | 114 | 152 | 190 |
| Running (5 mph / 8 km/h) | 8.3 | 249 | 332 | 415 |
| Cycling (light, 10-12 mph) | 6.8 | 204 | 272 | 340 |
| Weight training (light) | 3.5 | 105 | 140 | 175 |
| Weight training (moderate) | 5 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Weight training (vigorous) | 6 | 180 | 240 | 300 |
| Rowing machine (moderate) | 7 | 210 | 280 | 350 |
| Swimming (light / moderate) | 5.8 | 174 | 232 | 290 |
Weight training calories burned: 30 or 60 minutes
At 80 kg, a 30-minute lifting session gives about 140 kcal at the light setting (3.5 MET), 200 kcal at moderate effort (5 MET), or 240 kcal at vigorous effort (6 MET). A 60-minute session doubles those estimates. Choose the setting for the whole session, including recovery between sets, rather than treating each minute as a maximal effort.
Treadmill walking and running calorie estimates
Choose treadmill walking at the listed 3.5 mph pace or treadmill running at 6 mph in the activity selector. The walking reference is 3.8 MET: at 80 kg, 30 minutes gives about 152 kcal total. These are fixed activity references; this tool does not calculate a separate incline adjustment. Holding the rails, changing speed or changing gradient can affect the real cost.
Can I calculate calories for bench press alone?
There is no bench-press-specific calorie model in this tool. Choose a realistic weight-training intensity for the timed session, including rest. The lifted weight and repetition count alone are not enough to calculate energy expenditure here.
How the calorie estimate is calculated
The simplified equation is calories = MET × bodyweight in kilograms × time in hours. For example, 30 minutes at 5 MET for an 80 kg person gives 5 × 80 × 0.5 = 200 kcal. Pounds are converted into kilograms before calculating.
Total calories versus active calories
The result includes resting energy during the activity. An approximate net value subtracts 1 MET: (MET − 1) × kg × hours. In the 5-MET example, that is 160 kcal above rest rather than 200 total kcal. Check which definition your wearable uses.
Walking, running and strength training
Choose the pace or effort that describes the whole interval. Running speed, walking gradient and rest between lifting sets can substantially change expenditure. For lifting, do not assign a vigorous value to an entire hour that includes long rests.
Use MET values as estimates
MET values describe reference activity costs rather than a personal measurement. Fitness, movement efficiency and actual effort vary. Compare like-for-like sessions and avoid treating the displayed calorie number as an exact amount to replace with food.
Frequently asked questions
Does a heavier person burn more in this calculator?
Yes. The simplified equation scales linearly with bodyweight at a fixed MET and duration. Actual individual expenditure also depends on movement and physiology.
Are these active calories?
The headline result estimates total calories during the session. To approximate calories above rest, use MET minus one in the same equation.
Can I compare lifting with running?
You can compare estimates for the same bodyweight and duration, but choose realistic effort and include rest periods. Calorie expenditure alone does not measure the training benefits of an activity.
Methods and references
Reference tables use the same calculations and benchmark values as the interactive tool.