Calories Burned Calculator
Find out how many calories an activity burns for your body weight and duration. Values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference researchers use for energy cost.
Your results
How it works
- 1Every activity has a MET value: how many times more energy it uses than sitting quietly.
- 2Calories burned = MET x body weight in kg x duration in hours.
- 3The result includes the energy you would have used at rest anyway, so it is total, not extra, calories.
Calories burned in 30 minutes
Examples from the calculator for 70 kg and 90 kg body weight.
| Activity | MET | 70 kg | 90 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, brisk | 4.8 | 168 kcal | 216 kcal |
| Jogging | 7.5 | 263 kcal | 338 kcal |
| Running, 10 km/h | 9.3 | 326 kcal | 419 kcal |
| Cycling, 19-22 km/h | 8.0 | 280 kcal | 360 kcal |
| Swimming laps, easy | 5.8 | 203 kcal | 261 kcal |
| Weight training, moderate | 3.5 | 123 kcal | 158 kcal |
| HIIT | 7.0 | 245 kcal | 315 kcal |
| Jumping rope | 11.0 | 385 kcal | 495 kcal |
| Yoga (Hatha) | 2.3 | 81 kcal | 103 kcal |
Where these numbers come from
MET values are from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann and colleagues), which lists the energy cost of over 1,000 activities. The formula assumes 1 MET is about 1 kcal per kg per hour, so individual results can differ by 10-20% with fitness, technique and body composition.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I burn walking 30 minutes?
At a brisk pace (4.8 MET) a 70 kg person burns about 168 kcal in 30 minutes, and a 90 kg person about 216 kcal.
How many calories does running burn?
Running at 10 km/h (9.3 MET) burns about 326 kcal in 30 minutes at 70 kg. Heavier runners and faster paces burn more.
How many calories does weight training burn?
Moderate weight training (3.5 MET) burns about 123 kcal per 30 minutes at 70 kg; hard training with short rests (6 MET) about 210 kcal.
Are fitness tracker calories accurate?
Wrist trackers often miss energy expenditure by 20% or more. MET estimates have similar error for individuals, so use either as a rough guide, not a number to eat back exactly.
Using the result
What the number is
An estimate from a formula: rep-max equations for strength, even-pace arithmetic for running, MET values for calories burned. It describes an average performer, so your own number can sit noticeably above or below it.
How to use it
Use it to pick training weights or paces, plan sessions and compare like with like over time. Retest under similar conditions every few weeks instead of relying on one estimate forever.
When to stop guessing
If your numbers have stalled for several weeks, the fix is usually in programming, recovery and consistency rather than in the calculator. That is what a coach on Trainera builds with you.
What this calculator cannot know
This calculator does not know your technique, fatigue, sleep, terrain, weather, heart rate or training history, and all of them change real performance and energy use. Estimates are least reliable at the edges: sets of more than ten reps, very long races and unusual activities. Warm up properly, test maximal lifts with a spotter, and check with a doctor before hard training if you have a heart condition or another health concern. Nothing here is medical advice.
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Turn these numbers into a real plan
Train on your own with Trainera's free workout and diet tracker, or get matched with a certified personal trainer who builds your plan around these numbers.