Calories Burned by MET

MET: metabolic equivalent of task

The MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) puts the energy cost of any activity on a single scale, measured against what your body burns at rest. By definition, 1 MET = 3.5 mL O₂/kg/min ≈ 1 kcal/kg/h, which is roughly the metabolic rate of someone sitting quietly. To get the energy burned you use kcal = MET · weight(kg) · time(h). The numbers come from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., last updated 2011), a catalog of hundreds of MET values. A few for reference: sleeping 0.9; sitting reading 1.3; slow walking 2.8; brisk walking 5.0; running at a 5 min/km pace 11.5; swimming 7–10; moderate cycling 6–8; HIIT 8–12; powerlifting 6. Example: a 70 kg person running 30 min at 8 MET burns 70·8·0.5 = 280 kcal.

Applications

Physiologists and personal trainers lean on it for exercise prescription. The same values feed fitness apps like Strava, MyFitnessPal, Garmin Connect and Apple Health when they estimate calorie burn. In cardiac rehabilitation it helps dose effort safely, so a patient recovering from a heart attack typically starts around 3–5 MET. Public health guidelines ask for at least 150 min/week of moderate activity (3–6 MET) or 75 min/week of vigorous activity (≥6 MET).

FAQ

Is the MET estimate exact? Not really. The Compendium gives averages, and real people swing ±15–25% around them depending on fitness, technique and efficiency. At the same MET, a trained athlete burns a little less than someone untrained.

Does it account for the afterburn (EPOC)? No. MET only covers the activity while you're doing it. High-intensity work like HIIT or sprints keeps your metabolism elevated for hours afterward, so in those cases the formula falls short of the real total.

MET vs. heart rate monitor? A heart-rate estimate fits you more closely, but only if your max-HR data is accurate. MET is the simpler route, and for planning your weekly energy balance it does the job.