Free tool
Calorie buy-back calculator
Tell us what you ate. We tell you exactly how long to walk, ruck, stand, or climb to balance it out — using the same body-calibrated math the CalBurndown app runs internally.
Burn off
540
kcal — pick any one of these to balance the books
- Walking 3 mph (casual)108min5.0 kcal/min
- Walking 4 mph (brisk)60min9.0 kcal/min
- Rucking 30 lb at 3 mph98min5.5 kcal/min
- Weighted vest 20 lb at 3 mph102min5.3 kcal/min
- Standing desk189min2.9 kcal/min
- Stair climbing47min11.4 kcal/min
Numbers shown are population averages at the listed body weight. Real expenditure varies ~10–15% person-to-person at the same activity.
Buy it back
Open the CalBurndown app to log 540 kcal and see what to walk, ruck, or stand to stay on budget.
Formula & assumptions
For walking, standing, and stair climbing we use the standard MET equation from the Compendium of Physical Activities. MET is a unit of metabolic intensity (1 MET = sitting quietly):
kcal/min = MET × 3.5 × weight_kg / 200 minutes_needed = food_kcal / kcal_per_min
MET values used here: walking 3 mph ≈ 3.0, walking 4 mph ≈ 5.0, standing 2.0, stair climbing 8.0. (Values vary by source; we use compendium midpoints.)
For rucking and weighted-vest walking, plain MET undercounts load uplift by a wide margin, so we use the Pandolf load-carriage equation instead. See the rucking calculator for the full Pandolf breakdown.
These are population estimates. Real per-person variation is large — RMR alone has a ~10% standard error, and individual gait economy adds another layer. Use the numbers as a planning tool, not a contract.
References
Ainsworth, B. E. et al. (2011). Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(8), 1575–1581.
Pandolf, K. B., Givoni, B., & Goldman, R. F. (1977). Predicting energy expenditure with loads while standing or walking very slowly. Journal of Applied Physiology, 43(4), 577–581.