Select an activity or enter a custom MET value, then add your body weight and active time.
Your estimate
Gross activity calories
30 minutes of Walking, moderate — 3.5 MET at 70.0 kg.
How the estimate is calculated
The calculator uses the standard approximation: calories = MET × body weight in kilograms × activity time in hours. One MET represents the conventional resting energy cost. Gross calories include the energy your body would have used at rest during the same time.
“Above-rest calories” subtracts one MET before calculating, providing an estimate of the additional energy associated with the activity. Kilojoules are calculated by multiplying kilocalories by 4.184.
Why actual calorie burn varies
- Movement efficiency, fitness, age, body composition, and genetics differ.
- Terrain, incline, resistance, pace, weather, and breaks affect intensity.
- Wearables and exercise machines may use different equations.
- Use repeated estimates consistently rather than treating one number as exact.
Frequently asked questions
What is a MET?
A metabolic equivalent compares an activity’s standardized energy cost with resting energy expenditure. An activity at 5 MET is conventionally described as using five times the resting rate.
Should I use gross or above-rest calories?
Gross calories are common in fitness summaries. Above-rest calories can be useful when you want the activity’s estimated additional energy beyond resting needs.
Can I use this for weight-loss planning?
Use it only as one estimate. Food intake, normal daily movement, resting metabolism, and adaptive changes also influence body weight.
Exercise safety note
Choose activity appropriate for your fitness and health. Increase duration and intensity gradually. Stop for chest pain, faintness, severe breathlessness, or unusual symptoms, and seek appropriate care. Ask a clinician before vigorous exercise if you have a medical condition or exercise restriction.
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Calorie Calculator · Target Heart Rate Calculator · Pace Calculator