Treadmill, Elliptical and Pilates Tools

Small calculators for training at home. They run in your browser, and nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.

Calorie estimator

This estimator gives you a realistic calorie range for a treadmill walk or run, an elliptical session or a Pilates class.

How the estimate works

Treadmill walking and running

For the treadmill, the estimator uses the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) metabolic equations. They estimate oxygen use from your speed and incline:

• Walking: VO₂ = 3.5 + 0.1 × speed + 1.8 × speed × grade
• Running: VO₂ = 3.5 + 0.2 × speed + 0.9 × speed × grade

Speed is in metres per minute (1 mph = 26.8 m/min), grade is the incline as a decimal (5% = 0.05), and VO₂ is in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram per minute. Each litre of oxygen is counted as about 5 kcal. The walking equation is meant for roughly 1.9–3.7 mph (3–6 km/h), and the running equation for jogging and running speeds above about 5 mph (8 km/h).

Elliptical and Pilates

For the elliptical and Pilates, the estimator uses MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: elliptical trainer at moderate effort 5.0 METs and vigorous effort 9.0 METs, Pilates in general 2.8 METs, and traditional mat Pilates 1.8 METs. Calories are worked out as METs × body weight in kg × hours.

Why you get a range

All of these formulas give averages. Your fitness, technique, body composition and the calibration of the machine all move the real number up or down, so the result is shown with a range of about ±15%. Holding the handrails on a treadmill takes some of your weight off your legs, so the real figure will be lower than the estimate.

Sources

• ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal: Metabolic Calculations in Action
• 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: conditioning exercise

More on treadmill technique: how to walk on a treadmill without holding the rails and beginner treadmill intervals.