Calories Burned Calculator

What is a MET and How Are Calories Burned?

Understanding how many calories you burn during exercise is a cornerstone of managing your weight and fitness. Our calories burned calculator uses a scientifically validated method based on the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET). A MET is a ratio of your working metabolic rate relative to your resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as the energy you expend while sitting at rest. For example, an activity with a MET value of 4 means you are burning four times the energy than you would if you were sitting still. This allows us to create a standardized way to measure the intensity of a huge variety of physical activities.

The Formula for Calculating Calories Burned

The calculator uses a standard formula to estimate caloric expenditure:

• MET Value: We provide a list of common activities and their MET values. A more intense activity has a higher MET value.
• Body Weight: A heavier person will burn more calories than a lighter person doing the same activity for the same amount of time.
• Duration: The longer you perform an activity, the more calories you will burn.

Using This Calculator for Your Health Goals

Knowing your calorie expenditure is useful for several health and fitness goals:

• Weight Management: To lose weight, you generally need to be in a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume). This calculator helps you understand the "calories out" side of the equation. You can track your food intake with tools like our Weight Watchers Points Calculator.
• Fitness Planning: You can use this tool to compare different exercises and see which ones are most effective for burning calories in the time you have available.
• Overall Health Awareness: Understanding your energy expenditure provides a more complete picture of your health, which can be used alongside other metrics like your BMI.

For a comprehensive database of MET values for hundreds of activities, the Compendium of Physical Activities is the primary source used by researchers and health professionals worldwide.