logo > List of tools Sports Calories Burned Simulator 1.0.7
Activity
Intensity (RPE)
MET: {{ met }}
Calories burned: {{ calcul() }} kcal

Calorie Burn Calculator for Sport Activities

Simulator

I have developed and made available this calorie burn simulator for physical activities.

Calorie Burn

The body constantly uses energy (measured in kilocalories, kcal) to sustain its basic metabolism (breathing, blood circulation, etc.). An adult burns between 1,500 and 2,500 kcal daily depending on their age, sex, and weight. In addition to this daily caloric expenditure, exercise provides additional calorie burn. Several factors influence caloric expenditure:

  • Weight: A heavier person burns more energy for the same effort. More developed muscles also require more energy.
  • Type of sport: Calorie expenditure is not the same for walking as it is for running a marathon.
  • Exercise intensity: The more intense the effort, the higher the energy consumption.

MET: Metabolic Equivalent of Task

The MET is a unit used to quantify the energy expenditure of physical activities. Resting has a MET of 1, playing video games has a MET of 1.3, while sprinting (>22.5 km/h) has a MET of 23. Here is a link to a complete statistical MET chart updated for 2024, covering various activities: https://pacompendium.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1_2024-adult-compendium_1_2024.pdf

Usefulness

For simplicity, this tool does not perfectly align with the MET scale and incorporates a variable for intensity. For example, Eliud Kipchoge, a marathon runner with a record of 2h 1min 9s in 2022, will not expend the same effort running at 20 km/h as an amateur runner, and thus will not have the same MET for that effort. This is why you are free to specify the intensity alongside the type of activity to calculate an adjusted MET. For instance, a bike ride with high effort can have the same MET as light-effort running. Indeed, cycling uses fewer muscles (mostly the legs) compared to running, which also engages the upper body.

Here’s how perceived intensity is structured:

  • 0 to 3: Light effort. Your breathing is light, and you can talk easily.
  • 4 to 6: Moderate effort. You start to feel out of breath, and conversations become harder.
  • 7 to 8: High effort. Your breathing becomes rapid, and it’s very difficult to speak.
  • 9 to 10: Maximum effort. This is maximal or near-maximal effort, like sprinting, and can only be sustained for a few minutes.

Calorie Burn Calculation

The general formula to calculate burned calories is: Calories = MET x weight (kg) x duration (hours) x 1.05