Metabolic Equivalent (MET) Calculator
Calculate calories burned by any physical activity using MET values.
Enter your weight, choose an activity, and set the duration to estimate energy expenditure.
A Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) is the ratio of the energy used during an activity to the energy used at rest. Sitting quietly is defined as 1 MET. Walking at a moderate pace is about 3.5 METs — meaning it burns 3.5 times as many calories per minute as resting does.
Calories burned = MET x Body Weight (kg) x Duration (hours)
A 70 kg person running at 6 mph (MET = 10) for 30 minutes: Calories = 10 x 70 x 0.5 = 350 kcal
The formula is more accurate than generic “calories burned” tables because it adjusts for body weight. A heavier person burns more calories doing the same activity because they are moving more mass.
MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, first published by Ainsworth et al. in 1993 and updated periodically since. The 2011 version lists over 800 activities with associated MET values.
A few reference points from the compendium:
- Light walking (2 mph): 2.5 METs
- Brisk walking (3.5 mph): 4.3 METs
- Running (6 mph): 10 METs
- Running (8 mph): 13.5 METs
- Recreational swimming: 6 METs
- Cycling at 14-16 mph: 10 METs
- Yoga: 2.5 METs
- Jump rope: 10 METs
One limitation: MET values assume steady-state activity at the listed intensity. Interval training, stop-and-start sports, and activities with skill components introduce variability that the formula cannot fully capture. Heart rate monitors and wearables that integrate continuously are more accurate for those activities.
The formula also does not account for fitness level. A highly trained runner burns fewer calories at 6 mph than a beginner at the same pace.