How it works

The calculator takes the calories in your chosen food and works out how long each activity would take to burn that many calories for someone your weight, using standard MET (metabolic equivalent) values. Heavier people burn a little more per minute, so the time is personalized to you.

It’s a fun, eye-opening way to picture energy balance — not a rule that you must "earn" every bite.

Walking vs running vs cycling

Running burns the most calories per minute, then cycling, then walking — so the same food takes far longer to walk off than to run off. But the best activity is the one you’ll actually do: a longer walk you enjoy beats a hard run you dread and skip.

A healthier way to think about it

Exercise has huge benefits beyond burning calories, and food is about more than fuel. Use this as motivation to move, not as punishment for eating. If you’re managing weight, your overall daily calories and activity matter far more than offsetting any single food.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & references