Calories burned calculator.
Pick an activity, enter your bodyweight, and set how long you trained - this calories burned calculator estimates the calories you torched using the MET method, the same intensity-based formula coaches and fitness trackers rely on.
Estimated calories burned
142 cal
MET 3.5 x 3.5 x 77 kg / 200 x 30 min
Per minute
average burn rate
5 cal/min
Per hour
if you kept going
283 cal/hr
MET values are population averages, so this is an estimate. Real burn shifts with fitness, intensity, and terrain - use it as a ballpark, not a precise readout.
the short answer
Calories burned = MET x 3.5 x bodyweight(kg) / 200 x minutes. Each activity has a MET value - its intensity versus sitting still (walking ~3.5, running ~9.8, weight training ~5.0). For example, a 77 kg person walking 30 minutes burns about 142 calories. Heavier bodyweight and longer or harder sessions burn more, since the formula scales with both.
What a MET is and how this calculator works.
A MET - Metabolic Equivalent of Task - is a simple way to score how hard an activity is. One MET is the energy you burn sitting quietly. An activity rated at 7 METs burns roughly seven times more energy per minute than sitting. The Compendium of Physical Activities publishes MET values for hundreds of activities, and this calculator uses standard moderate-effort numbers for the most common ones.
To turn a MET value into actual calories, it combines that intensity with your bodyweight and how long you exercised:
The 3.5 and 200 come from the physiology of oxygen consumption - one MET equals about 3.5 ml of oxygen per kilogram per minute, and dividing by 200 converts that oxygen use into calories. Because your weight is part of the equation, a heavier person always burns more for the same workout. If you enter pounds, this tool converts to kilograms internally (1 lb = 0.4536 kg) before running the math, so the result stays correct either way.
A few sample MET values used here: walking 3.5, running 9.8, cycling 7.5, weight training 5.0, HIIT 8.0, swimming 7.0, and yoga 2.5. Pick the activity that best matches your session - and remember these are averages, so a hard interval session at the same "moderate" label will burn more than the table suggests.
How coaches use a calories burned estimate.
Coaches use exercise-burn estimates to frame a client's energy balance, not to dictate their diet. The trap is having clients "eat back" every calorie a tracker reports - because MET and wearable estimates run high, that often erases a deficit. A better approach is to set intake from the client's overall daily target and treat training burn as a small buffer, then let the weekly weight trend confirm whether the numbers are roughly right.
The real work is doing this for a full client list and adjusting as people get fitter and their sessions change. A coaching platform stores each client's training and check-in data in one place, so you can see how their activity, nutrition, and weight trend line up over weeks - and nudge their plan based on what is actually happening instead of re-running calculators one person at a time.
See training and nutrition for every client in one place.
Coachway lets you program workouts with a workout builder, set nutrition targets with a meal planner, and watch each client's progress through their branded client app - so activity, food, and weight trends all line up. It is the operating system for online fitness and nutrition coaches, instead of stitching together calculators, spreadsheets, and chat.
See how Coachway worksCalories burned calculator FAQ.
How does a calories burned calculator work?
A calories burned calculator uses the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method: calories = MET x 3.5 x body weight in kg / 200 x minutes. Each activity has a MET value (walking ~3.5, running ~9.8, weight training ~5.0), which represents how many times harder it is than sitting still. The tool multiplies that intensity by your bodyweight and how long you trained.
How many calories does walking burn?
Brisk walking is about 3.5 METs. For a 170 lb (77 kg) person walking for 30 minutes, the formula gives 3.5 x 3.5 x 77 / 200 x 30, which is roughly 142 calories. Heavier people and longer or faster walks burn more, because calories scale directly with bodyweight and duration in the MET equation.
How accurate is a MET-based calorie calculator?
MET values are population averages, so the result is a solid estimate, not a precise measurement. Real burn varies with fitness level, intensity, terrain, efficiency, and body composition - two people at the same weight can differ by 10-20 percent. Treat the number as a useful ballpark for planning, and lean on tracked weight trends rather than any single calorie figure.
Does bodyweight change calories burned?
Yes - significantly. The MET formula multiplies by your weight in kilograms, so a heavier person burns more calories doing the exact same activity for the same time. That is why this calculator asks for your bodyweight: a 220 lb person and a 130 lb person running the same 30 minutes will burn very different amounts.
Should I eat back the calories I burn from exercise?
Usually only partially. Because exercise-calorie estimates run high, most coaches do not have clients eat back the full amount. A common approach is to set calories from your overall daily target (TDEE) and treat any extra burn as a small buffer. Track your weekly weight trend and adjust intake from real results rather than chasing each workout estimate.
This calculator gives estimates for general fitness use, not medical advice. MET-based numbers are population averages and individual burn varies - if you have a medical condition or are training for a specific health goal, talk to a qualified professional.
Keep going: use the TDEE calculator to find your total daily calorie burn including exercise, or the maintenance calorie calculator to set your baseline target. For the bigger picture, read our guide to how to do nutrition coaching online.
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Open calculator ->See what Coachway can do for your coaching business
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