Calories burned = MET × your weight in kilograms × hours. A person of 75 kg walking at a moderate pace (3.5 MET) for 45 minutes burns about 197 kcal. Choose the activity, enter your weight in kilograms, pounds or stone and the time; the calculator shows the calories, the rate per hour and, for walking, running and cycling, the distance at the typical speed.
Calories burned in 30 minutes
| Activity | 55 kg (121 lb) | 70 kg (154 lb) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 100 kg (220 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, moderate (3 mph / 4.8 km/h) | 96 | 123 | 149 | 175 |
| Walking, brisk (3.5 mph / 5.6 km/h) | 118 | 151 | 183 | 215 |
| Running (6 mph / 9.7 km/h) | 270 | 343 | 417 | 490 |
| Cycling, moderate (12–14 mph) | 220 | 280 | 340 | 400 |
| Swimming, freestyle, moderate | 160 | 203 | 247 | 290 |
| Weight training, moderate | 96 | 123 | 149 | 175 |
| Yoga (Hatha) | 69 | 88 | 106 | 125 |
What MET means
One MET (metabolic equivalent) is the energy you use sitting quietly, about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated 8 MET burns eight times as much as sitting. The values in this calculator come from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities, the reference list researchers use worldwide.
Walking or running the same distance
Over one kilometer or one mile, running burns roughly twice as many calories as walking, even though you finish sooner. At a moderate walking pace of 4.8 km/h, a 70 kg person covering 5 km uses about 255 kcal; running the same 5 km at 9.7 km/h costs about 354 kcal.
Food in minutes of exercise
For a person of 70 kg:
| Food | About | Brisk walking | Running at 6 mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium apple | 95 kcal | 19 min | 8 min |
| Slice of pizza | 285 kcal | 57 min | 25 min |
| Chocolate bar (50 g) | 260 kcal | 52 min | 23 min |
It is a sobering way to read a menu – and a reminder that diet usually matters more than exercise for weight loss, while exercise matters more for health.
How accurate is it?
The Compendium values are averages for adults. Walking uphill, carrying a load, running into wind or swimming with poor technique all burn more; a very fit person moving efficiently burns a little less. Expect the real figure to be within 10–20% of the estimate.
Once zet4u is saved on your phone, the calculator works offline – at the gym or on a trail with no signal.
Frequently asked questions
How are calories burned calculated?
Calories = MET × body weight in kilograms × hours. MET is how much harder an activity is than sitting still; brisk walking is 4.3 MET, running at 6 mph 9.8 MET.
How many calories does walking burn?
A 70 kg (154 lb) person walking at a moderate 3 mph (4.8 km/h) burns about 123 kcal in 30 minutes, or 245 kcal an hour.
Does a heavier person burn more calories?
Yes. Moving a heavier body takes more energy, so calories rise in proportion to weight: at 100 kg you burn about 43% more than at 70 kg in the same activity.
Are fitness tracker numbers more accurate?
Not necessarily. Wrist trackers estimate from heart rate and movement, and independent studies have found errors of 20% or more. Both are estimates.
Sources
Last checked: