Under Desk Elliptical Calories Burned Calculator
Enter your weight, how long you pedal and how hard. The calculator uses MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate calories burned, plus the extra calories compared with sitting still.
Calorie Burn Calculator
*Extra calories only, at 3,500 calories per pound, if your diet stays the same. Estimates use MET values (sitting 1.3, walking 3.5) and will vary with your stride rate, resistance and body.
How the under desk elliptical calorie calculator works
Exercise scientists describe effort in METs (metabolic equivalents). One MET is the energy you use sitting perfectly still. The Compendium of Physical Activities lists typical values: quiet sitting is about 1.3 METs, light seated pedaling around 2.0, moderate pedaling about 2.8, and walking at 3 mph about 3.5.
The calculator converts that to calories with the standard formula: calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight (kg) ÷ 200. It shows total calories for the session, and also the extra calories compared with sitting still, because that extra is what actually changes your daily energy balance.
Under desk elliptical calories burned per hour
For most adults, an hour on an under desk elliptical at a light to moderate pace burns roughly 100 to 200 calories, and heavier users or higher resistance push that higher. Spread across a workday, two to three hours of easy pedaling can add a few hundred calories with no extra time in your schedule.
Make it count: resistance and cadence matter more than session length. Short 10-minute blocks at a "can talk, can't sing" effort burn more than an hour of barely moving. Try the desk pedal timer to structure them.
Why your machine's display shows a different number
Most under desk ellipticals estimate calories from stride count alone, without your weight or the resistance level, so their numbers can be high or low. Treat both the display and this calculator as estimates and focus on consistency week to week. For the full picture, read does an under desk elliptical burn calories and can you lose weight with an under desk elliptical.
Want a machine with smooth, adjustable resistance? The Cubii JR2 and DeskCycle Ellipse are our top picks. See all of the best under desk ellipticals.