Exercise Calorie Calculator: MET Formula, Worked Examples and Limits

An exercise kcal calculation is an estimate, not a personal test

For a stated MET value, kcal ≈ MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200 × minutes. At a hypothetical 4 MET, 70 kg and 30 minutes, gross energy is 147 kcal. Above-rest energy uses 3 MET, giving about 110 kcal. Name the activity reference and duration rather than assigning this number to all exercise.

Laboratory testing, population MET categories and consumer wearables have different uses and limits. A resting-energy test is not automatically a full-day measurement. Keep estimates on one basis, and avoid adding activity twice when a TDEE assumption already includes it. BiteCal supports the food-recording side, not a claim to measure exercise expenditure.

Match the method to the question

Indirect calorimetry can assess energy expenditure under controlled conditions; free-living total expenditure is a different measurement problem. A watch or MET estimate uses inputs and assumptions rather than directly measuring every calorie.

A resting-metabolic-rate test is not a complete measurement of all movement and meals across a normal week.

Use estimates without double counting

If TDEE already incorporates an activity factor, do not automatically add every gross workout estimate. Keep the convention stable so you can compare weeks. A food diary in BiteCal complements that record but does not independently validate the wearable’s energy estimate.

Sources and practical next steps

Sources and calculations reviewed on October 27, 2026. Use the linked original references for the stated data and assumptions; this guide does not represent a personal clinical assessment or an independent app accuracy trial.

Reference check date

Sources and calculations checked October 27, 2026.

Frequently asked questions