Calories Burned: Shoveling snow
Shoveling snow is a vigorous-intensity activity with a MET value of 6. A 155-lb (70 kg) person burns about 211 calories in 30 minutes and 422 in an hour. Adjust the weight and duration below for your exact number.
How to use this calculator
Shoveling snow is pre-selected. Set your body weight and how long you exercised, and the calorie estimate updates instantly. You can also switch to any of 40+ other activities using the category buttons.
Understanding your shoveling snow calorie burn
The estimate uses the MET formula: calories = MET × weight (kg) × hours. Shoveling snow's MET of 6 means it burns 6× more energy than sitting at rest. It's classified as vigorous intensity — actual burn varies with your effort, fitness level, and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Calories burned: shoveling snow by weight and duration
Calorie burn scales directly with body weight — the same session costs a heavier person more energy because they are moving more mass. All figures use shoveling snow's MET value of 6.
| Duration | 125 lbs | 155 lbs | 185 lbs | 215 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 min | 85 cal | 105 cal | 126 cal | 146 cal |
| 30 min | 170 cal | 211 cal | 252 cal | 293 cal |
| 45 min | 255 cal | 316 cal | 378 cal | 439 cal |
| 60 min | 340 cal | 422 cal | 503 cal | 585 cal |
Common calorie targets
How long a 155-lb person needs to do shoveling snow to hit common burn targets:
- ·Burn 100 calories: about 14 minutes
- ·Burn 250 calories: about 36 minutes
- ·Burn 500 calories: about 71 minutes
How shoveling snow compares to other daily life activities
Same duration, same 155-lb person — only the intensity (MET) changes:
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 155 lbs |
|---|---|---|
| Shoveling snow | 6 | 211 cal |
| Cleaning house | 3.3 | 116 cal |
| Gardening | 3.5 | 123 cal |
| Cooking | 2 | 70 cal |
| Mowing the lawn | 4.5 | 158 cal |
Related calculators
Calories burned in other daily life activities
Same calculator, different intensity — each page shows that activity's numbers by weight and duration.