Calories Burned Walking, Running and Cycling
Real per-hour figures for the three most common forms of cardio, the MET arithmetic behind them, and how far off the number on your watch usually is.
Read the guide →The formulas behind the calculators, written out in plain English. What each number means, which study it came from, and the situations where it gives the wrong answer.
Real per-hour figures for the three most common forms of cardio, the MET arithmetic behind them, and how far off the number on your watch usually is.
Read the guide →The standard charts, what the numbers mean for men and women at different ages, and the difference between what is average and what is healthy.
Read the guide →The BMI thresholds are the same at 25 and at 75, but the body they are describing is not. What changes with age, and why a slightly higher BMI after 65 is associated with better outcomes.
Read the guide →Fixed waist thresholds ignore height, which is why waist-to-height ratio has largely replaced them. Half your height is the line worth using.
Read the guide →Waist circumference responds to energy balance, not to ab training. Two inches is roughly seven to nine pounds of fat, which is about two months at a moderate deficit.
Read the guide →The Air Force folded body composition into the fitness test instead of running it as a separate gate. A waist measurement contributes points alongside cardio and strength.
Read the guide →The Corps runs two tests. The PFT measures general fitness, the CFT measures combat tasks, and a high enough score on either can exempt a Marine from the body fat assessment.
Read the guide →The Navy runs a body composition assessment before the physical readiness test. Here is the structure of both, the cardio options, and where the standards are published.
Read the guide →The AFT replaced the ACFT on 1 June 2025 and dropped the power throw. Five events, two standards, and a 60-point floor that fails the whole test on its own.
Read the guide →The Army moved to waist-to-height in 2026. The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force still use their own methods. A branch-by-branch read on what is measured and what is not.
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