Cardio · Calorie burn
🏊Calories burned swimming
A 155 lb person burns about 295 calories doing swimming for 30 minutes — roughly 591 calories per hour.
Calories burned by weight & time
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 lb | 119 | 238 | 357 | 476 |
| 155 lb | 148 | 295 | 443 | 591 |
| 185 lb | 176 | 352 | 529 | 705 |
| 215 lb | 205 | 410 | 614 | 819 |
MET value: 8. Estimates use the standard MET formula and will vary with intensity, fitness and terrain.
Frequently asked
How many calories does swimming burn?
Swimming burns roughly 295 calories in 30 minutes (about 591 per hour) for a 155 lb person. Heavier bodies and higher intensity burn more.
How is calorie burn for swimming calculated?
We use the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method: calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200. Swimming has a MET value of about 8. This is the same approach used by the Compendium of Physical Activities.
Does swimming burn enough to lose weight?
Exercise helps, but weight loss is driven mostly by total energy balance. Swimming contributes 295–591 calories per session — useful, but a small change in what you eat usually moves the needle faster. Tracking both sides is the point.
Both sides of the equation.
CalorieScan AI logs what you eat from a photo and syncs your workouts from Apple Health — so calories in and out finally live in one place.
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