How calories burned is estimated
Every activity has a MET (metabolic equivalent) value — a multiple of your resting metabolic rate. The ACSM metabolic equation converts MET, body weight, and time directly into an energy cost.
- MET — activity intensity (1 MET = resting)
- weight — body weight in kilograms
- minutes — duration of the activity
More detail
What a MET value means
1 MET is the energy your body uses at complete rest. An activity of 7 METs (jogging) burns roughly 7 times your resting rate. Higher-intensity activities like running (11.5 METs) burn calories much faster per minute than walking (3.5 METs) or yoga (2.5 METs).
Why weight changes the result
The formula scales directly with body weight — a heavier person burns more calories doing the exact same activity for the same time, because moving more mass costs more energy. Two people jogging side by side at the same pace burn different totals if their weights differ.
Practical tip. Intensity beats duration for a quick burn: 30 minutes of running (MET 11.5) burns far more than 30 minutes of walking (MET 3.5) at the same weight. If you're tracking a daily total, pair this with a calorie/TDEE calculator to see how a workout fits your overall budget.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does 30 minutes of running burn?
At MET 11.5 for a 70 kg person, 30 minutes of running burns about 423 kcal (11.5 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 30). Enter your own weight above — the result scales directly with body weight.
What is a MET value?
MET (metabolic equivalent) measures activity intensity as a multiple of your resting metabolic rate — 1 MET is complete rest. Walking is about 3.5 METs, jogging 7, and running 11.5; higher MET activities burn calories faster per minute.
Do heavier people burn more calories doing the same exercise?
Yes. The formula multiplies MET by body weight directly, so a heavier person burns proportionally more calories than a lighter person doing the identical activity for the identical time — moving more mass takes more energy.
How accurate is this calorie-burn estimate?
It uses standard MET values from exercise science research and is a solid population-level estimate, but actual burn varies with fitness level, exact intensity, terrain, and body composition. Treat it as a starting point, not a precise measurement.