Whether you jogged around the neighborhood or had a particularly rigorous workout at the gym, you likely wondered how to compute the number of calories burned that day.

Weight loss, a reason why many people exercise, involves consuming fewer calories than the number of calories burned in a typical day. While fitness equipment such as elliptical machines shows number of calories lost, activities such as running do not have the same display information.

There are many websites that offer calorie-computing information to help you crunch the numbers. Three helpful websites that feature calorie-burning calculators are Self, A Calorie Calculator, and My Optum Health. Calculate number of calories burned from the comfort of home.

Self NutritionData

The NutritionData BMI & Calories Burned Calculator is part of the Self website. The calculator features easy to use drop-down menus for users to enter age, sex, weight, height, and lifestyle descriptors.

The NutritionData calculator is unique from many competitors as the formula factors in daily living tasks that burn calories. “Lifestyle” is not a box included in every calorie-computing website. Choose one option for “Lifestyle” box:

• Sedentary
• Somewhat Active
• Active
• Very Active

An optional feature for users is entering the number of minutes per day of additional exercise completed. The number of activities listed within the dropdown menu are substantially greater than many websites. For example, specialized activities such as “boxing, sparring” and “snorkeling” are included.

Once details are entered and the “Calculate” button is pressed, the number of calories burned is quickly tallied on the computer. There is little if any lag time between screens. The results are clear and the BMI or Body Mass Index information is also listed for users on the Self webpage.

In addition, the page provides links to helpful, related resources. Related pages include recipes, weight loss tools, and a Diabetes blog.

A Calorie Calculator

The Calories Burned Calculator page, set within the website A Calorie Calculator, is a valuable tool. The webpage is aesthetically pleasing, less crammed with information than many health pages on competing websites. White space is a relief to the eye, particularly when one wants to focus on calories without wading through other threads.

Another advantage of this particular calculator is the option to enter weight either in lbs or kg. Many websites do not offer the choice. Along with weight, the user enters the period of activity, according to number of hours and minutes.

The Calories Burned Calculator also features a table titled “Calories Burned During Activities.” The table is helpful to users who can skim the information to see the MET or Metabolic Equivalent for each activity. The athletic activities are clearly organized with headings such as “Sports”, “Dancing”, and “Running”.

My Optum Health

The website My Optum Health’s Calories Burned Calculator tool is a great find. Users are not confronted with irrelevant advertising or an excess of information on the page. Only highly relevant links are shown, such as a related article titled “Get Moving With Aerobic Exercise”.

To compute the number of calories burned, select the appropriate physical activity from the drop-down menu. Enter the length spent on the exercise in hours and minutes. Type in your weight as well.

The calculation is quickly computed and the users are kept on the same page to view results. Many other websites take users to new screens with more information, which can be overwhelming. The one page is all that is needed for this website.

The website menu, available at the top of the page, allows users the choice to pursue reading articles and related health information. The category titled “Diseases & Conditions” is of note given that not all calorie-counting websites offer this link within easy reach or in such a highly readable format.

Self, A Calorie Counter, and My Optum Health are all valuable websites for computing number of calories burned. Remember that the most accurate calorie burn number is determined by individual physiological tests. Also, see your doctor if you are implementing a new exercise routine.

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