What are MET minutes?

Intensity times duration. Guidelines typically ask for 500 to 1,000 a week, which lets a short hard session and a long easy one count comparably.

Health & Fitnessfitness

MET Value Calculator

Energy from a MET value directly. MET minutes are the unit physical activity guidelines are written in, with 500 to 1,000 a week the usual target.

Also called: metabolic equivalent calculator.

Energy expenditure

264.6

264.6 kcal, or 1,107.1 kJ. At 7 METs you are working at 7 times your resting rate, using about 1.76 litres of oxygen a minute. That is vigorous intensity.

In kilojoules

1,107.1

Per hour

529.2

Oxygen use

1.76

MET minutes

210

Intensity band

vigorous

How this is calculated

Method and background

This is what the calculation gives for the numbers you entered. It is an estimate, not advice, and it knows nothing about your situation beyond those numbers. Rules for United States change on a published schedule; the effective date is shown on every rule-based tool.

How this is calculated

One MET is resting metabolic rate. Multiplying by mass and time gives energy. MET minutes, the product of intensity and duration, are how activity guidelines are expressed, which lets a short hard session and a long easy one be compared directly.

the MET is defined against resting oxygen uptake

MET: Metabolic equivalent

Worked examples

Each of these is asserted on every build. If a change to the engine ever moved one of these answers, the build would fail before the page could print it.

30 minutes at 7 METs

Weight: 72 kg
MET value: 7
Duration: 30

Energy expenditure264.6

7 x 3.5 x 72 / 200 x 30

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one MET is rest

Weight: 72 kg
MET value: 1
Duration: 60

Energy expenditure75.6

boundary: the definitional value

Open this example

Method and limits

What it assumes

The standard 3.5 ml/kg/min resting definition, which overstates rest for many adults.

What it deliberately does not model

The 1 MET standard is based on a reference adult and is high for many people.

Formula version 1.0.0 · definition 1.0.0 · United States · Report a problem with this calculator

Frequently asked questions

What are MET minutes?: Intensity times duration. Guidelines typically ask for 500 to 1,000 a week, which lets a short hard session and a long easy one count comparably.