Calculate Calories Burned

🔍
Light Moderate Vigorous Very Hard

Your Calories Burned

560
Cycling (moderate, 12-14 mph)

Calorie Breakdown

Duration 1 hour
MET Value 7.5
Intensity Level Moderate
Calories per hour 560

Equivalent to

2.3 chocolate chip cookies

Based on average cookie (250 calories)

Weekly Total (5 sessions)

2,800 calories

Equivalent to 0.36 kg (0.8 lbs) fat loss per month

Calories Burned Comparison

Walking

210 cal

Running

630 cal

Cycling

560 cal

Swimming

620 cal

Weekly Goal

1,500-2,000 cal

Best Time

Afternoon

Hydration

1.5-2 liters

Understanding MET (Metabolic Equivalent)

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It’s a unit that estimates the amount of oxygen used by the body during physical activity.

Calorie Burn Formula

Calories Burned = MET × Weight(kg) × Duration(hours)

Example: For a 70kg person cycling (MET 7.5) for 1 hour:

Calories = 7.5 × 70 × 1 = 525 calories

MET Value Intensity Level Example Activities
1-3 Light Desk work, standing, slow walking
3-6 Moderate Brisk walking, light cycling, yoga
6-9 Vigorous Running, swimming, basketball
9+ Very Hard Sprinting, competitive sports, HIIT
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Resting MET

1 MET = Resting metabolic rate (approximately 1 kcal/kg/hour)

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Afterburn Effect

High-intensity exercise continues burning calories for hours after workout (EPOC).

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Individual Variation

Actual calorie burn can vary by ±15-25% based on fitness level, age, and genetics.

Activity Levels & Calorie Burn

Activity Category Average MET Calories/Hour (70kg) Examples
Sedentary 1-1.5 70-105 Sitting, desk work, watching TV
Light Activity 2-3 140-210 Cooking, shopping, office work
Moderate Exercise 3-6 210-420 Brisk walking, golf, gardening
Vigorous Exercise 6-9 420-630 Running, cycling, swimming laps
Very Hard Exercise 10+ 700+ Sprinting, competitive sports, HIIT

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

Calories burned from daily activities excluding exercise:

  • Fidgeting: 100-800 calories/day
  • Standing vs Sitting: 50-100 more calories/hour
  • Walking while talking: 150-250 calories/hour
  • Taking stairs: 10 calories/flight

Daily Activity Recommendations

General Health: 150 minutes moderate or 75 minutes vigorous weekly

Weight Loss: 300 minutes moderate or 150 minutes vigorous weekly

Cardiovascular Health: 30+ minutes daily moderate activity

Factors Affecting Calorie Burn

1

Body Weight

Heavier individuals burn more calories for the same activity (more mass to move).

2

Muscle Mass

Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue (5-6 vs 2-3 cal/lb/day).

3

Age

Metabolic rate decreases about 1-2% per decade after age 20.

4

Fitness Level

Trained individuals burn calories more efficiently but may burn fewer for same activity.

5

Intensity & Duration

Higher intensity = more calories per minute. Longer duration = more total calories.

6

Gender

Men typically burn 5-10% more calories due to higher muscle mass and larger size.

EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)

Calories burned after exercise ends:

  • Low Intensity: 5-15 extra calories
  • Moderate Intensity: 35-50 extra calories
  • High Intensity: 90-180+ extra calories
  • HIIT/Strength: Up to 24 hours of elevated metabolism

Optimizing Calorie Burn

1

Combine Cardio & Strength

Strength training builds muscle that burns more calories 24/7. Add cardio for immediate burn.

2

HIIT Training

High-Intensity Interval Training burns more calories in less time and creates afterburn.

3

Increase NEAT

Stand more, take stairs, walk during calls, park farther away. These small changes add up.

4

Morning Workouts

Exercise in the morning can boost metabolism for the entire day.

5

Compound Movements

Exercises that work multiple muscle groups (squats, push-ups) burn more calories.

6

Stay Consistent

Regular exercise improves metabolic efficiency and increases daily calorie burn.

Sample Weekly Calorie Burn Plan

  • Monday: 30 min HIIT (400 cal) + NEAT (200 cal) = 600 cal
  • Tuesday: 45 min Strength (350 cal) + NEAT (200 cal) = 550 cal
  • Wednesday: 30 min Run (350 cal) + NEAT (200 cal) = 550 cal
  • Thursday: Active rest – Walking (200 cal) + NEAT (250 cal) = 450 cal
  • Friday: 45 min Swim (450 cal) + NEAT (200 cal) = 650 cal
  • Saturday: 60 min Hike (500 cal) + NEAT (300 cal) = 800 cal
  • Sunday: Rest – Light activity (150 cal) + NEAT (150 cal) = 300 cal
  • Weekly Total: Approximately 3,900 calories