About the MET Calculator
This MET calculator converts the intensity of an activity — measured in METs, or metabolic equivalents — into calories burned and MET-minutes. One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly; brisk walking is about 4 METs and running at 6 mph is close to 10. Choose from over 30 common activities with values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, or enter your own MET figure.
Add your body weight, session length and how many sessions you do per week to see calories per session and per week, plus your weekly MET-minutes. Public health guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity work out to roughly 500–1,000 MET-minutes per week, so the calculator shows how close you are.
MET values are population averages. Your actual burn depends on fitness, efficiency, terrain and effort, so treat the numbers as a well-grounded estimate rather than a lab measurement.
With the default inputs, the calories per session is 158 kcal. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the met calculator
- 1Choose an activity from the list, or pick Custom and enter a MET value.
- 2Enter your body weight in kilograms or pounds.
- 3Enter how long each session lasts and how many sessions you do per week.
- 4Read calories per session and per week, and your weekly MET-minutes against the guideline.
Formula and method
One MET is defined as an oxygen uptake of 3.5 mL per kilogram of body weight per minute, roughly your resting metabolic rate. Multiplying by body weight gives mL of oxygen per minute, and since burning about 5 kcal uses 1 litre of oxygen, dividing by 200 converts it to kilocalories per minute.
MET-minutes multiply intensity by duration so different activities can be added up: 30 minutes at 4 METs is 120 MET-minutes. Health guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate activity (3–5.9 METs) per week equate to roughly 500–1,000 MET-minutes. The calorie figure is gross — it includes the energy you would have burned at rest anyway.
- MET
- Metabolic equivalent of task (1 = resting)
- 3.5
- mL of oxygen per kg per minute at 1 MET
- 200
- Converts mL O₂ × kg to kcal (≈ 5 kcal per litre O₂ ÷ 1000)
Worked examples
Brisk walking 30 minutes, 5 days a week, 70 kg
Brisk walking is 4.3 METs. 4.3 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 5.27 kcal/min, × 30 min ≈ 158 kcal per walk. Five walks give 645 MET-minutes, above the 500 guideline.
Running at 6 mph for 45 minutes, 180 lb, 3 times a week
180 lb is 81.6 kg. At 9.8 METs that is 14.0 kcal/min, about 630 kcal per 45-minute run, and 1,323 MET-minutes a week.
Custom 3.5 MET activity, 20 minutes daily, 60 kg
3.5 × 3.5 × 60 ÷ 200 = 3.675 kcal/min, × 20 = 73.5 kcal. Seven sessions give 490 MET-minutes — 98% of the 500 guideline.
Frequently asked questions
What is a MET?+
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) compares an activity’s energy cost with sitting at rest. 1 MET equals about 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute, so a 5-MET activity uses five times your resting energy.
How many MET-minutes per week should I get?+
The standard adult guideline — 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week — corresponds to about 500–1,000 MET-minutes per week. More activity brings additional benefit.
What counts as moderate and vigorous in METs?+
Light activity is under 3 METs, moderate is 3 to 5.9 METs (such as brisk walking) and vigorous is 6 METs or more (such as running, fast cycling or singles tennis).
How accurate are MET-based calorie estimates?+
They are averages from the Compendium of Physical Activities and can be off by 20% or more for an individual. Fitness, technique, body composition and terrain all change the real energy cost.
How do I calculate calories burned from METs?+
Multiply METs by 3.5 and your weight in kilograms, divide by 200 to get calories per minute, then multiply by minutes. A 70 kg person running at 9.8 METs for 30 minutes burns about 360 kcal.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.