How many calories did that workout burn?

What is a MET value?

MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — one MET is roughly the energy you burn sitting quietly. An activity with a MET of 8 burns about 8 times that resting rate per unit of time. Researchers have measured standardized MET values for hundreds of activities across intensity levels, which is what powers estimates like the ones in the dropdown above.

Does calories burned depend on body weight?

Yes — the formula is calories = MET × weight(kg) × duration(hours), so a heavier person burns more calories doing the identical activity for the identical time than a lighter person, simply because moving more body mass takes more energy. This is why the calculator asks for your weight rather than giving one fixed number per activity.

How accurate are MET-based estimates?

MET values are population averages measured in controlled lab conditions, so they're a solid ballpark but won't precisely match your individual metabolism, fitness level, effort intensity, or terrain on a given day — two people doing the "same" activity can genuinely burn different amounts. Treat the result as a reasonable estimate for tracking trends over time, not a precise individual measurement.

How does this relate to my daily calorie needs?

This estimates calories burned from a single activity session, on top of the calories your body burns just existing (basal metabolic rate) plus other daily movement. See the Calorie Calculator for your estimated total daily calorie needs, then add sessions like this one on top for days you're more active than your baseline.

Worked example: a 75 kg person running at 6 mph (9.8 MET) for 30 minutes: calories = 9.8 × 75 × (30 ÷ 60) = 9.8 × 75 × 0.5 = 367.5 kcal burned for that session.