NewConnect Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, and other AI agents to API Ninjas via our MCP server →

Calories Burned API

The Calories Burned API calculates the total calories burned for thousands of sports, exercises, jobs, and everyday activities. It supports custom weight and duration, and can personalize estimates with age, sex, and height or a known resting metabolic rate.

Available endpoints:

Online
(4.7)

From 9,141 users

3,300+

Applications using this API

API Status

Online - All Systems Operational

API Response Times

Average
P50
P75
P90
P95
223ms254ms312ms634ms1047ms

Didn't find what you were looking for? Suggest an improvement

2 endpoints

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburned

Returns the calories burned per hour and total calories burned according to given parameters for given activities (up to 10).

Parameters

  • activity  required

    Name of the given activity. Common names and synonyms work (e.g. jiu jitsu, spin class, hoovering), as do workout type identifiers used by fitness platforms (e.g. HKWorkoutActivityTypeElliptical, EXERCISE_TYPE_PILATES). This value can be partial (e.g. ski will match water skiing and downhill skiing). Up to 10 matches are returned, best match first.

  • weight  optional

    Weight of the user performing the activity in pounds. Must be between 50 and 500. Default value is 160.

  • duration  optional

    How long the activity was performed in minutes. Must be 1 or greater. Default value is 60 (1 hour).

  • age  optional

    Age of the user in years. Must be between 13 and 120. To personalize the estimate, provide age, sex, and height together (or rmr instead).

  • sex  optional

    Sex of the user. Must be male or female. Use together with age and height.

  • height  optional

    Height of the user in inches. Must be between 36 and 96. Use together with age and sex.

  • rmr  optional

    Resting metabolic rate of the user in calories per day, if known (e.g. from a metabolic test or a fitness device). Must be between 500 and 5000. When provided, it is used instead of age, sex, and height. Without personalization, estimates assume a typical resting rate for the given weight.

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/caloriesburned endpoint returns a JSON array of objects, each with the following fields, or an error if the request is unsuccessful.

Image URLs are premium only (Learner, Developer, Business, and Professional).

  • name

    Name of the activity.

  • calories_per_hour

    Calories burned per hour for this activity.

  • duration_minutes

    Duration in minutes (as specified in the request or default 60).

  • total_calories

    Total calories burned for the specified duration.

  • image_url Premium only

    Photorealistic image of the activity.

  • icon_url Premium only

    Consistent activity pictogram with a transparent background.

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required
Query parameters
activity

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburned?activity=Running, 10 mph
Sample response
[
{
"name": "Running, 10 mph (6 min mile)",
"calories_per_hour": 1074,
"duration_minutes": 60,
"total_calories": 1074,
"image_url": "https://media.api-ninjas.com/activity_images/298a1f4fc68196e32526c99689d5c9aa62b9918dfbd600f86af2ec971b710fec.png",
"icon_url": "https://media.api-ninjas.com/activity_images/e99f715ce23fd73e5b79d2796b63b3f61eb5c9b991a0bd51aaa1e9a9bdfe8a5f.png"
}
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburned?activity=running&weight=70&duration=30" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

If your programming language is not listed in the Code Example above, you can still make API calls by using a HTTP request library written in your programming language and following the above documentation.

Premium only

https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburnedactivities

Returns a list of all supported activities.

Parameters

None

Headers

  • X-Api-Key  required

    API Key associated with your account.

Response

The /v1/caloriesburnedactivities endpoint returns a JSON array of strings, or an error if the request is unsuccessful.

Live Demo

Live demo · no API key required

Get a free API key to get started — no credit card required.

Headers
X-Api-KeyLog in or sign up to get your API key
GET
https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburnedactivities
Sample response
[
"Active video game, full-body motion, moderate",
"Actor, typical work shift",
"Aerial silks or hoop, class",
"Aerobics, general",
"Aerobics, high impact",
"Aerobics, low impact",
"Aerobics, step aerobics",
"..."
]

Code Examples

curl -X GET "https://api.api-ninjas.com/v1/caloriesburnedactivities" \ -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, but you must have a premium subscription. Commercial use of the Calories Burned API is not permitted on the free tier. See our pricing page to choose a plan that fits your needs.
  • Sign up for a free account to instantly get your API key, then pass it in the X-Api-Key header on every request. The documentation above includes ready-to-run examples in cURL, Python, JavaScript, Node.js, and more.
  • Your API requests will simply be denied once you hit your monthly quota — you will never be charged more than the plan you signed up for. To increase your quota, you can upgrade your plan any time on our pricing page.
  • The API responds with a standard HTTP status code and a JSON error message describing the problem. See our error codes reference for the full list of codes and how to resolve each one, or contact support if you need help.
  • Send a GET request to the /v1/caloriesburned endpoint with a required activity parameter (a name, common synonym, or fitness-platform workout type; it can be partial, e.g. ski matches both water skiing and downhill skiing), plus optional weight in pounds (between 50 and 500, default 160) and duration in minutes (default 60). To personalize the estimate, add age, sex, and height together, or a known resting metabolic rate as rmr. You can get started with a free key on our registration page.
  • The /v1/caloriesburned endpoint returns a JSON array of objects (one per matched activity, up to 10), each containing name, calories_per_hour, duration_minutes, and total_calories. If a request is unsuccessful you'll receive an error instead.
  • Call the /v1/caloriesburnedactivities endpoint, which takes no parameters and returns a JSON array of strings naming every supported activity (such as Archery, Badminton, and Bowling). This endpoint is available on premium subscriptions only, which you can review on our pricing page.
  • It is ideal for fitness trackers, workout logs, and health dashboards that need to estimate energy expenditure across thousands of sports, exercises, jobs, and everyday activities. It pairs well with our Exercises API for workout details and our Nutrition API for tracking calorie intake.

Explore API integration use cases for recommended APIs and workflow examples.