Activity Recognition Calculator

Calculate calories burned from step count using MET values and ACSM metabolic equations, plus heart rate training zones via the Karvonen formula.

Inputs

Daily steps

Body weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Age (years)

Resting heart rate (bpm)

Walking cadence (steps/min)

Active minutes per day

Tab to move between fields

Results

Active calories burned

287

Total daily energy (kcal)

1,808

Distance (km)7.05

Distance (miles)4.38

Estimated MET3.9

Estimated speed (km/h)4.7

Estimated HRmax (bpm)184

Zone 1/2 boundary (bpm)125

Zone 2/3 boundary (bpm)136

Zone 3/4 boundary (bpm)148

Zone 4/5 boundary (bpm)160

Zone 5 floor (bpm)172

Speed (mph)2.89

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your daily step count, body weight (kg), and height (cm) as recorded by your wearable.
Set your age and resting heart rate (bpm) for accurate calorie and heart-rate zone calculations.
Enter your average walking cadence (steps/min) and total active minutes for the day.
Read active calories, estimated distance (km/miles), and MET value from the outputs.
Compare your heart-rate zone distribution to target training zones shown in the results.

How the result changes with Body weight (kg)

Body weight (kg)	Active calories burned	Total daily energy (kcal)
43	177	1,440
101	415	2,233
170	698	3,178
227	932	3,958

What each input means

Daily steps: Total steps recorded by your wearable for the day.
Body weight (kg): Your body weight in kilograms. Used for calorie and MET calculations.
Height (cm): Your height in centimeters. Used to estimate stride length.
Age (years): Your age. Used for HRmax estimation (Tanaka formula) and BMR.
Resting heart rate (bpm): Your resting heart rate for Karvonen zone calculation.
Walking cadence (steps/min): Average steps per minute during active walking/running.
Active minutes per day: Minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity.

What each result means

Active calories burned: Estimated calories from physical activity (excluding BMR).
Total daily energy (kcal): Total estimated daily energy expenditure including resting metabolism.
Distance (km): Estimated distance walked/run from step count and stride length.
Distance (miles): Same distance in miles.
Estimated MET: Metabolic Equivalent of Task based on walking/running speed.
Estimated speed (km/h): Walking/running speed estimated from cadence and stride length.
Estimated HRmax (bpm): Maximum heart rate estimated via Tanaka formula (208 - 0.7 x age).
Zone 1/2 boundary (bpm): HR at 50% reserve: below = warm-up, above = fat burn zone.
Zone 2/3 boundary (bpm): HR at 60% reserve: transition from fat burn to aerobic zone.
Zone 3/4 boundary (bpm): HR at 70% reserve: transition from aerobic to threshold zone.
Zone 4/5 boundary (bpm): HR at 80% reserve: transition from threshold to anaerobic zone.
Zone 5 floor (bpm): HR at 90% reserve: VO2max / peak effort zone begins.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Daily steps = 10000, Body weight (kg) = 70, Height (cm) = 170, Age (years) = 35 = 7 input(s) provided
Calculate Active calories burned
Active calories burned
287 = 287
Calculate Total daily energy
Total daily energy
1808 = 1808
Calculate Distance
Distance
7.05 = 7.05
Calculate Distance
Distance
4.38 = 4.38

Engine last updated July 28, 2026. Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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