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How Do You Calculate How Fast You Burn Calories?

Published in Calorie Expenditure 2 mins read

You can estimate how fast you burn calories, especially during exercise, using a formula that considers your weight and the activity's intensity.

Understanding the Calculation

The calculation is based on a few key factors:

  • Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET): This is a measure of how much energy an activity requires compared to resting. A MET of 1 is the energy you expend at rest. Higher MET values indicate more intense activities. You can find MET values for various activities online.
  • Body Weight (in kilograms): Your weight plays a significant role in how many calories you burn.

The Formula

The formula to estimate calories burned per minute is:

Calories burned per minute = (3.5 x MET x Body weight in kilograms) / 200

Step-by-Step Calculation

  1. Determine your weight in kilograms: If you know your weight in pounds, divide it by 2.2 to convert it to kilograms. (e.g., 150 lbs / 2.2 ≈ 68 kg)

  2. Find the MET value for your activity: Look up the MET value for the specific activity you are doing. For example:

    • Walking at 3 mph: MET ≈ 3.5
    • Running at 6 mph: MET ≈ 9.8
    • Bicycling at 10-12 mph: MET ≈ 6.0

  3. Plug the values into the formula: Let's say you weigh 68 kg and are running at 6 mph (MET = 9.8):

    Calories burned per minute = (3.5 x 9.8 x 68) / 200 = 1172.2 / 200 = 5.86 calories per minute

Example

Let's calculate calories burned for a person weighing 150 lbs (68 kg) who walks at 3 mph (MET = 3.5) for 30 minutes.

  • Calories burned per minute: (3.5 x 3.5 x 68) / 200 = 833 / 200 = 4.17 calories
  • Total calories burned in 30 minutes: 4.17 calories/minute x 30 minutes = 125.1 calories

Important Considerations

  • This formula provides an estimate. Actual calorie burn can vary based on individual factors like age, sex, fitness level, and body composition.
  • Apps and fitness trackers often use more sophisticated algorithms to estimate calorie burn, taking into account heart rate and other data.
  • This calculation focuses on the calories burned during activity. It doesn't account for the afterburn effect (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC), where your body continues to burn calories at a slightly elevated rate after exercise.

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