"How many calories did that workout burn?" has no single answer — because the burn varies from person to person. But with a simple scientific formula (MET) you can estimate your own number in minutes. This guide covers the calorie burn of popular exercises, personal calculation, and how to turn it into tracking.
Your body weight, the exercise intensity (MET), the duration, and your fitness level. The most practical way to combine them is the MET formula:[1]
Calories burned = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours). Example: a 70 kg person running at 10 km/h (≈10 MET) for 30 minutes → 10 × 70 × 0.5 = 350 kcal.
| Activity | MET | ≈ 30 min calories |
|---|---|---|
| Walking (5 km/h) | 3.5 | ~120 kcal |
| Brisk walk (6.5 km/h) | 5.0 | ~175 kcal |
| Cycling (moderate) | 7.0 | ~245 kcal |
| Swimming (moderate) | 6.0 | ~210 kcal |
| Running (10 km/h) | 10.0 | ~350 kcal |
| HIIT | 9.0 | ~315 kcal |
| Strength training | 5.0 | ~175 kcal |
Values are approximate; a heavier person burns more in the same activity, a lighter person less. For your own number, plug your weight into the formula.
After high-intensity training (HIIT, heavy resistance), your metabolism stays slightly elevated for hours — called EPOC. Useful, but don't overrate it: this extra burn is usually only 6–15% of the workout's calories.
A run that burns 350 kcal can be undone by a single dessert or a large coffee. Exercise is excellent for heart health, muscle and supporting a calorie deficit, but weight loss mainly comes from nutrition (a calorie deficit). The best result is the combination. More: What Is a Calorie Deficit?
Suu reads your activity from Apple Health and logs meals by voice/photo; it interprets your energy balance in context.