By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Estimate the calories you burn shovelling snow from your weight, the minutes you work, and how heavy the effort is. Lifting and throwing snow is more demanding than it looks, so the effort level matters.
Estimate calories burned shovelling snow by effort.
kcal = MET × weight (kg) × time (hours) moderate 6.0 · heavy 7.0 MET
Wet, heavy snow and deep drifts push the effort toward the heavy figure. Take breaks and lift with your legs, since shovelling is a common source of back strain.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| effort | How hard the work felt, which sets the MET value. |
| weight | Your body mass in kilograms. |
| minutes | How long you shovelled, in minutes. |
A 70 kg person shovelling for 30 minutes at moderate effort burns 6 × 70 × 0.5 = 210 kcal. Wet snow that feels heavy for the whole session raises the estimate to about 245 kcal.
Snow shoveling sits near 6 METs for steady effort and approaches 7.5 for vigorous, heavy work, placing it in the same range as hiking or a brisk cycle. The calculator applies the MET equation to your body weight and the minutes you actually shovel, giving kilocalories for the task.
The effort is genuine exercise. Lifting and throwing wet snow recruits your legs, back, arms, and shoulders, and the cold adds a small extra demand for keeping warm, so the activity is more taxing than its reputation as a chore suggests.
Light powder is far cheaper to move than dense, wet snow, so the same driveway can cost very different amounts of energy depending on conditions. A heavy shovel, frequent throwing, and deep snow all push the real cost above the average MET, while pushing a light dusting barely registers.
Shoveling is also a known trigger for cardiac strain in cold weather, especially for people unused to exertion, so pace yourself and warm up. The calorie figure is useful context, not a reason to overdo a demanding task in the cold.
Continue with the Stairs Calorie Calculator, Steps to Calories Calculator, or the Swimming Calorie Calculator — or browse more calories burned tools and all sports calculators.
It combines lifting, carrying, and throwing in cold weather, which together raise the heart rate and energy cost well above a walk.
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Content updated: September 2026