Calories Burned Calculator — MET Method

Estimate the energy cost of any activity using the research-standard MET method and Compendium values.

  • Nutrition
  • 2 cited sources
  • Runs in your browser
Unit system

Estimated energy burned

391 kcal

Running, 6 mph (10 min/mile) (Compendium code 12050, 9.3 MET) for 30 minutes at your weight. This includes resting metabolism and describes the average person — treat it as an estimate, not a measurement.

Methodology

The calculator uses the research-standard MET method:

kcal per minute = MET × 3.5 × weight (kg) ÷ 200

A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) expresses an activity's energy cost as a multiple of rest — sitting quietly is 1 MET, brisk walking about 4.8, running 10-minute miles 9.3. Values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference catalogue used across exercise science, and every activity in the menu carries its official Compendium code so you can trace it to the source.

Interpreting your result

The figure includes your resting metabolism for the duration, so a 30-minute run "burning 390 kcal" replaces — rather than adds to — the ~40 kcal you'd have burned resting anyway. Keep that in mind when combining this tool with a TDEE-based plan: if your activity level already reflects regular training, don't count the same exercise twice.

MET values describe the average person doing the average version of an activity. Your true cost moves with fitness, technique, terrain and how hard you actually pushed — ±20% is realistic.

Limitations

  • Standard METs slightly overestimate for heavier people and underestimate for lighter ones, a known limitation of the 3.5 ml/kg/min resting assumption.
  • Intensity within an activity label varies enormously — "cycling, moderate" spans a wide effort range.
  • For weight management, consistency of estimation matters more than absolute accuracy; pick one method and stick with it.

Sources

Pull the receipts — 2 cited sources

FitTools · sources

  1. 01 Compendium of Physical Activities (Adult Compendium) — activity codes and MET values
  2. 02 Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43:1575–1581

Every formula cited ✓

Frequently asked questions

How are calories burned calculated?
Each activity has a MET value — a multiple of resting metabolism — from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Energy is MET × 3.5 × bodyweight (kg) ÷ 200 per minute, the standard research formula.
How accurate are MET estimates?
They describe the average person doing the average version of the activity; individual efficiency, fitness and intensity easily move true burn ±20%. Treat results as planning estimates.
Do fitter people burn fewer calories doing the same exercise?
Slightly, at the same absolute pace — movement economy improves. But fitter people typically work at higher absolute intensities, which usually outweighs the efficiency gain.
Why does my watch disagree?
Wearables mix heart-rate models with motion data and their own proprietary corrections. Neither method is ground truth; consistency with one method matters more than the absolute number.

Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale — MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.

Last reviewed:

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