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Exercise Calorie Burn Calculator: How MET-Based Estimates Work

Exercise calorie calculators use a decades-old research shorthand called MET to turn your weight, activity, and duration into an estimated calorie burn. Here's what's actually happening behind the number.

  1. Step 1: Find the MET value for your activity

    MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) compares an activity's energy cost to resting quietly, defined as 1 MET. Walking at a moderate pace is around 3.5 METs, running at 6 mph is around 10 METs, and swimming laps can range from 6 to 10+ METs depending on stroke and intensity.

  2. Step 2: Apply the standard formula

    Calories per minute = (MET x 3.5 x weight in kg) / 200. This formula comes from the relationship between METs and oxygen consumption (VO2), where 1 MET equals roughly 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute.

  3. Step 3: Multiply by duration

    Multiply the per-minute figure by how many minutes you exercised to get total calories burned. A 70kg person running at 10 METs for 30 minutes burns roughly (10 x 3.5 x 70 / 200) x 30 β‰ˆ 367 calories.

  4. Step 4: Adjust for intensity, not just activity type

    The same activity spans a wide MET range depending on effort β€” leisurely cycling is around 4 METs while vigorous cycling can exceed 12. Picking the MET value that matches your actual pace, not just the activity label, meaningfully changes the estimate.

  5. Step 5: Treat the result as an estimate, not a lab measurement

    MET values are population averages from research studies, not a measurement of your individual metabolism. Fitness level, muscle mass, terrain, and even ambient temperature can shift real calorie burn from the formula's output by a meaningful margin.

Where MET values come from

MET values are published in the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research reference first compiled in 1993 and periodically updated, which assigns a MET score to hundreds of specific activities based on measured oxygen consumption. Calorie calculators are essentially a lookup table plus one formula built on top of that research.

Why calorie burn estimates vary between apps

Different calculators sometimes use slightly different MET tables, round activity intensities differently, or fold in extra factors like heart rate or age, which is why the same workout can show a different calorie count on different tools. The formula-based approach here is a reasonable estimate, not a precise energy expenditure measurement like the kind used in clinical research.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do heavier people burn more calories doing the same exercise?

The MET formula multiplies by body weight directly, because moving a larger mass takes more energy regardless of fitness level. This is why calorie burn estimates scale with weight even when the activity and duration are identical.

Is a MET-based estimate as accurate as a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker?

Not exactly β€” MET values are population averages, while a heart rate-based estimate is at least personalized to your body's response during that specific session. Both are estimates rather than lab-grade measurements, but tools that also account for age, sex, and heart rate generally track closer to an individual's true energy expenditure.