Estimate how many calories you burn doing everyday activities and exercise, from walking and housework to running, cycling and the gym, based on your weight and how long you do it.
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How it’s calculated
Each activity has a MET value (metabolic equivalent): how much harder it is than sitting still. Calories burned = MET × body weight in kg × hours. Values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the standard reference used by researchers.
Calories in 30 minutes (75 kg person)
| Activity | MET | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga | 2.5 | 94 |
| Walking, 3 mph | 3.5 | 131 |
| Swimming, moderate | 5.8 | 218 |
| Cycling, moderate | 8.0 | 300 |
| HIIT | 8.0 | 300 |
| Running, 6 mph | 9.8 | 368 |
Worked example
A 75 kg person walking briskly for 45 minutes burns about 5.0 × 75 × 0.75 = 281 kcal. Doing that five days a week adds up to about 1,400 kcal a week.
Heavier people burn more for the same activity. Fitness trackers often overestimate, so treat any figure as an estimate, and remember it’s hard to “out-exercise” a diet: a 30-minute run burns about the same as a chocolate bar and a latte.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does walking burn?
About 130 kcal in 30 minutes at 3 mph for a 75 kg person, more if you walk faster or weigh more.
What is a MET?
A metabolic equivalent: 1 MET is the energy you use sitting still. An activity of 5 METs uses five times as much.
Which exercise burns the most calories?
Vigorous activities such as running, rowing, HIIT and fast cycling burn the most per minute.
Are fitness tracker calories accurate?
They’re estimates and are often too high. Use them to compare days rather than as exact figures.
Sources
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