Workout Calorie Calculator
Estimate calories burned for running, HIIT, yoga, cycling, or strength training from your weight and workout duration.
Rough estimate of calories burned
A rough, population-average estimate, not a measurement. Formula: kcal = MET x body weight (kg) x duration (hours), using the Compendium of Physical Activities’ definition of 1 MET as 1 kcal per kg per hour (the other common form, kcal per minute = MET x 3.5 x kg / 200, reads about 5% higher). MET values are the 2024 Adult Compendium’s figures for a typical session; your real burn can differ by 20% or more. The figure is rounded down, never up. It is not a guide to how much to eat.
If you have a heart, lung or other health condition, are pregnant, or are new to exercise, check with your doctor before starting vigorous exercise.
How the MET method works
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) compares the energy cost of an activity to resting quietly, which is defined as 1 MET. An activity rated at 8 METs burns roughly eight times the calories of sitting still for the same stretch of time. Multiplying that ratio by your body weight and the time spent gives a rough estimate of total calories burned — the same basic approach used by most fitness trackers and published exercise calorie tables.
Because it's weight- and time-based rather than heart-rate-based, this method works the same whether you're brand new to an activity or an experienced athlete — though your actual intensity, and therefore your actual burn, will differ from the representative midpoint used here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are calories burned calculated?
This calculator uses the MET (metabolic equivalent of task) method: calories burned = MET value x body weight in kilograms x duration in hours, which follows from the Compendium of Physical Activities' definition of 1 MET as 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour. Another common form, kcal per minute = MET x 3.5 x kg / 200, gives about 5% more; we use the lower one. Each activity uses the 2024 Adult Compendium's value for a typical session: running at 6 mph 9.3, moderate cycling (12 to 13.9 mph) 8.0, moderate HIIT 7.0, general strength training 3.5, and Hatha yoga 2.3. The result is rounded down to a whole number.
Why does the same activity burn different calories for different people?
Body weight is the other half of the formula — a heavier body burns more calories doing the same activity at the same intensity because it takes more energy to move more mass. That's a real physiological effect, not an approximation error, so two people doing an identical workout will still get different totals.
Why is there only one MET value per activity — doesn't intensity matter?
It does, and the MET values here are population averages for a typical session, not a single true number. A hard interval run burns meaningfully more than an easy jog, and a slow Hatha yoga class burns less than a vigorous power yoga flow. Treat the result as a rough estimate for a typical session at that activity, not a figure for your own pace or effort.
Does this account for afterburn (EPOC)?
No — this estimates calories burned during the activity itself. High-intensity efforts like HIIT and strength training do trigger some elevated calorie burn for a period afterward (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), which isn't captured here and would add a modest amount on top of the session total.
Should I use this number to decide how much to eat?
No. This is a rough population estimate that can be off by 20% or more for any one person, and it is not a diet or weight-loss tool. Don't treat the figure as calories to eat back or as a weight-loss target. For nutrition or weight questions, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
This tool provides rough general estimates only, not professional fitness or medical advice. If you have a heart, lung or other health condition, are pregnant, or are new to exercise, check with your doctor before starting vigorous exercise.