Calorie Burn Calculator
How to Calculate Calories Burned
Calculating the number of calories you burn during physical activity is essential for managing weight and understanding your energy expenditure. The most common method uses the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET). A MET is a ratio of your working metabolic rate relative to your resting metabolic rate. One MET is defined as the energy cost of sitting quietly, which is approximately 1 kcal/kg/hour.
The Formula
The formula used in this calculator is straightforward:
Calories Burned = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
For example, if you weigh 70 kg and run (which has a MET of roughly 9.8) for 30 minutes (0.5 hours), the calculation would be: 9.8 × 70 × 0.5 = 343 calories.
Factors Affecting Calorie Burn
While the MET formula provides a solid estimate, individual calorie burn can vary based on several factors:
- Age: Older individuals tend to burn fewer calories than younger people at the same activity level.
- Body Composition: Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even at rest. Therefore, individuals with higher muscle mass may burn more calories.
- Intensity: Pushing harder during an exercise increases the MET value and thus the total calories burned.