Calories Burned Calculator - 1,100+ Activities by MET

The formula and where the numbers come from

Calories burned = MET × body weight in kg × hours. A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) compares an activity to sitting still. Sitting quietly is 1.0 MET, about 1 kcal per kg per hour. Brisk walking at 3.5-3.9 mph is 4.8 MET, so it burns 4.8 times your resting rate.

Every MET value in this tool comes from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann, Willis, Ainsworth and colleagues), the third update of the reference list researchers have used since 1993. It covers over 1,100 activities across 22 categories, from running and cycling to mowing the lawn, playing the drums, and shoveling snow. Each entry keeps its five-digit Compendium code so you can look it up in the source.

Search by any word in the description or category. Type "running 6" to find running at 6 mph, "garden" for yard work, or a code like 17200 to jump to a specific entry.

Worked examples

A 170 lb person (170 × 0.4536 = 77.1 kg) runs 30 minutes at 6 mph (Compendium code 12050, 9.3 MET): 9.3 × 77.1 × 0.5 = 359 kcal.

The same person plays an hour of tennis (15675, 6.8 MET): 6.8 × 77.1 × 1 = 524 kcal. A 45-minute brisk walk (17200, 4.8 MET): 4.8 × 77.1 × 0.75 = 278 kcal. An hour of Hatha yoga (02150, 2.3 MET) comes to about 177 kcal.

Weight scales everything linearly. A 220 lb person burns about 29% more than a 170 lb person doing the same activity for the same time.

Gross vs net calories

The main number is gross calories, everything burned during the activity. Part of that you would have burned anyway just being alive. Net calories subtract 1 MET: (MET − 1) × kg × hours. For the 30-minute run above, net is 8.3 × 77.1 × 0.5 = 320 kcal.

The difference matters most for long, easy activities. If you add a 2-hour walk to a TDEE that already includes your resting burn, use the net figure or you will overestimate how much extra you can eat.

Common mistakes

Picking the wrong intensity. "Bicycling, general" (7.0 MET) and "Bicycling, 12-13.9 mph, moderate" (8.0 MET) are different entries. Pick the one that matches your actual speed or effort, and be honest; most recreational efforts are moderate, not vigorous.

Counting rest time. A 60-minute gym session with 25 minutes of resting between sets is not 60 minutes at the lifting MET. Log active time, or use the general resistance training entries that already assume rest.

Trusting machine displays blindly. Treadmills and ellipticals often overestimate, especially if you hold the handrails. The Compendium value is a better cross-check.

Eating back every calorie. Activity estimates carry 10-20% error and people tend to overestimate effort. If weight loss is the goal, eating back about half of exercise calories is a common, safer rule of thumb.

Assuming the numbers fit everyone equally. MET values are measured in adults. The Compendium team publishes separate lists for older adults and wheelchair users, and children have their own youth compendium.

How accurate is a MET estimate?

The Compendium standardizes 1 MET as 3.5 ml of oxygen per kg per minute, which is the resting rate of an average adult. Real resting rates vary with age, sex, body composition, and fitness, so individual burn can differ from the table by 10-20% or more. Very fit people are more efficient and may burn less for the same activity, while beginners and heavier people often burn more.

Use the number to compare activities and plan a week, not as a precise meter. For the other side of the equation, the TDEE calculator estimates your baseline daily burn, and the calorie deficit calculator turns a target deficit into a weekly plan.

Safety note

Activities above about 6 MET count as vigorous. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, lung disease, or have been inactive for a long time, check with a clinician before starting vigorous exercise. Stop and seek care for chest pain, unusual shortness of breath, or dizziness during activity.