Calorie Burn Calculator
Estimate session energy from activity MET, body mass and minutes. Keep gross calories separate from the standard resting reference, and compare the two common MET-to-calorie conversion conventions.
Model estimates are not measured calorie burn. These numbers do not prescribe food intake, guarantee fat loss or establish that an activity is suitable for you.
Use the calculatorEstimate Energy for Your Activity Session
Standard adult MET arithmetic; not an exercise prescription.
Your session estimates will appear here
Choose the closest documented activity description, enter body mass and time, then compare gross and above-reference energy.
Gross includes a baseline
The total includes a standard 1-MET reference for the same minutes.
Above-reference is model subtraction
Subtracting 1 MET does not measure your BMR or actual additional calorie burn.
Activity details matter
Pace, grade, effort and breaks can change applicability; a category average is not a wearable reading.
Your session energy estimates
kcal · including the standard 1-MET reference
The reference is not your measured BMR/RMR. No afterburn, food allowance, fat-mass conversion or personal diet target is added.
Medical disclaimer: This is an educational session-energy model for the stated adult data scope. It is not indirect calorimetry, exercise clearance, a personalised nutrition plan or a fat-loss prediction. Do not use the estimate to compensate for food or decide a safe exercise intensity. Seek individual clinical or dietetic guidance when health conditions, pregnancy, rehabilitation or nutrition needs require it.
Compare both conversion conventions
| Convention | Gross kcal | 1-MET reference kcal | Above-reference kcal |
|---|
Trace the selected calculation
| Model quantity | Value | Limit |
|---|
Calculations use unrounded values; displayed results are rounded independently to one decimal place. Displayed parts can differ slightly from their displayed sum.
Why gross calories and above-reference calories differ
MET is a standardised input. The reference subtracted here is not a measurement of your resting metabolism.
| Convention | Gross kcal | Above-reference kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen conversion | M ×3.5 ×m ÷200 ×t | (M−1) ×3.5 ×m ÷200 ×t |
| Simple energy convention | M ×m ×t ÷60 | (M−1) ×m ×t ÷60 |
Verify the Compendium’s unit conversions. The oxygen method assumes 3.5 mL O₂/kg/min per MET and 5 kcal per litre of oxygen. Its factor 0.0175 is 5% above 1/60. Both are standard arithmetic conventions, not personal calibration.
Separate total energy from the reference
Fictional adult age 30, 70 kg, 30 minutes at 3.8 MET. Oxygen conversion gives 139.7 gross kcal, 36.8 reference kcal and 102.9 above-reference kcal. This is not a measured workout.
Compare the simpler energy convention
Fictional adult age 40, 165 lb, 45 minutes at 8.0 MET. Simple convention gives about 449.1 gross kcal and 392.9 above-reference kcal. Pounds are converted before calculation.
Inspect a zero above-reference result
Fictional adult age 30, 70 kg, 60 minutes at custom 1 MET. Oxygen conversion gives 73.5 gross/reference kcal and 0.0 above-reference kcal. It does not mean the body used no energy.
Check the activity description before trusting the estimate
These eight selected presets preserve published MET values and identify their 2024 source codes.
| Selected preset | MET | Activity code | Source category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level walk · 2.5 mph | 3.0 | 17170 | Walking |
| Level walk · 2.8–3.4 mph | 3.8 | 17190 | Walking |
| Level brisk walk · 3.5–3.9 mph | 4.8 | 17200 | Walking |
| Leisure cycling · below 10 mph | 4.0 | 01010 | Bicycling |
| Cycling · 12–13.9 mph | 8.0 | 01030 | Bicycling |
| Running · 5.0–5.2 mph | 8.5 | 12030 | Running |
| Resistance exercises · 8–15 reps | 3.5 | 02054 | Conditioning Exercise |
| Vigorous resistance exercise | 6.0 | 02050 | Conditioning Exercise |
Standard MET does not equal your personal resting rate
The Compendium uses a standard reference. Actual resting metabolism and activity cost can differ between people. Age in this tool checks dataset scope only; it does not correct MET using your height, sex, fitness or a measured RMR.
A stronger activity label is not exercise clearance
Choosing a vigorous preset only changes the model input. It does not establish that the activity, duration or intensity is appropriate for your health. No target heart rate or rehabilitation plan is generated.
Do not count the same activity twice in TDEE
A daily-energy estimate may already include an activity allowance. Adding session calories again can double count some expenditure. This tool does not inspect your TDEE method or prescribe how much to eat back.
Recorded time must match the preset
A pace-specific walking entry does not describe uphill walking, carrying loads or long stops. Resistance sessions can include varied effort and rest. Choose the closest full description rather than treating every elapsed minute as maximum effort.
Comparing devices is not proof of error
A watch may use sensor data, proprietary models and a different definition of active calories. This calculator does not use the same algorithm as every device. Check gross versus active conventions before comparing numbers; neither display establishes a measured personal energy cost here.
Read the Compendium’s discussion of standard and corrected METs. This page does not implement corrected METs.
Helpful resources
Related adult health tools and primary references for MET data and conversion assumptions.
Useful resources
Data source: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Herrmann and colleagues. Citation and links are for verification, not endorsement or clinical validation of this calculator. Custom MET is user supplied.
Questions about MET estimates and calorie definitions
Activity scope, reference subtraction and what a model can establish.
What does gross calorie burn include?
It includes the model energy for the entered activity and time, including the standard 1-MET reference. It is not a measured calorie total or a nutrition allowance.
What is above-reference energy?
It subtracts the model’s 1-MET reference for the same body mass and time from gross energy. The subtracted reference is not your measured BMR or RMR.
Why do the two conversion methods differ by 5%?
The oxygen conversion factor is 3.5/200=0.0175 per kg per minute at 1 MET. The simple energy convention uses 1/60. Their arithmetic ratio is 1.05. That difference does not establish which is more accurate for you.
Does age personalise the estimate?
No. It checks the selected adult dataset scope of ages 19–59. The equation uses activity MET, body mass, duration and conversion convention; no age correction or measured resting rate is applied.
Are there more than 100 activities in this tool?
No. This page includes eight selected, source-coded presets and a custom-MET input. It does not claim to include the full Compendium.
Is a custom MET verified by the Compendium?
No. It is user supplied and labelled accordingly. Use a documented value matching the activity context; the tool does not confirm that the value applies to your session.
Does a 1-MET result mean no calories were burned?
No. Gross energy equals the standard reference while above-reference energy is zero. The body still uses energy in this model.
Does the result include afterburn or predict fat loss?
No. No post-session energy, fat-mass conversion or weight-loss outcome is calculated. The tool does not prescribe food compensation or an exercise dose.
Why might my watch give a different value?
It may use different sensor inputs, algorithms or active-versus-total definitions. This calculator does not claim to reproduce every wearable or establish which result is accurate for an individual.
Are my inputs stored?
This calculator script uses browser memory and does not upload entries or save them to browser storage. Other website scripts and services are outside the calculator’s scope.