What Is a MET Minute?
A MET minute is the amount of energy expended during one minute of rest. Because different activities burn energy at different rates, you can accumulate more than one MET minute per actual minute of exercise. Your total MET minutes depend on both the intensity (MET value) and the duration of each activity.
MET Definition
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task — a unit that measures how much energy an activity consumes compared to sitting quietly at rest:
- 1 MET = resting energy expenditure ≈ 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour (or ~3.5 ml of oxygen per kilogram per minute).
- A 3 MET activity uses three times as much energy as sitting still.
- MET values are drawn from the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research database covering hundreds of activities.
Activity Intensity Categories
| Category | MET Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Light | < 3 MET | Sitting at a desk (1.5), slow walking (2.5), gentle yoga (2.5) |
| Moderate | 3–6 MET | Brisk walking (3.5–4.3), cycling leisurely (4.0), hiking (5.3) |
| Vigorous | > 6 MET | Running at 6 mph (10.0), swimming laps (10.0), HIIT (9.0) |
How to Calculate MET Minutes
The formula is straightforward:
MET Minutes = MET value × Duration (minutes)
Example: A brisk walk at 3 mph (3.5 MET) for 30 minutes gives 3.5 × 30 = 105 MET minutes.
Weekly MET Minutes Example
Suppose last week you:
- Ran twice, 45 minutes each → 9.8 MET × 90 min = 882 MET minutes
- Walked briskly to work daily, 30 min × 5 → 3.8 MET × 150 min = 570 MET minutes
- Attended an aerobics class, 60 min → 6.83 MET × 60 min = 409.8 MET minutes
Total: 882 + 570 + 409.8 = 1,861.8 MET minutes per week
Physical Activity Recommendations
Leading health organisations (WHO, CDC, AHA) recommend at least 450–500 MET minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This roughly equals:
- 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (≥ 3 MET) per week, or
- 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (≥ 6 MET) per week, or
- An equivalent combination of both.
Meeting this threshold is associated with significant reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, several cancers, depression, and all-cause mortality.
Why Physical Activity Matters
Regular physical activity provides a wide range of health benefits:
- Improves cardiovascular fitness and lowers resting heart rate.
- Helps maintain a healthy body weight and supports weight loss.
- Strengthens muscles and bones, reducing injury risk.
- Boosts mood, reduces anxiety, and improves sleep quality.
- Lowers blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
- Reduces the risk of premature death by up to 35%.
Calories Burned Formula
This calculator also estimates calories burned using:
Calories = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
For example, a 70 kg person jogging (8.0 MET) for 30 minutes burns approximately 8.0 × 70 × 0.5 = 280 kcal.
American vs. Metric Units
This calculator supports both measurement systems:
- Metric — body weight in kilograms (kg); activity speeds in km/h.
- Imperial (American) — body weight in pounds (lbs); activity speeds in mph. Pounds are automatically converted to kilograms for the calorie calculation.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your unit system (Metric or Imperial).
- Enter your body weight.
- Choose the number of activities (1–10) you want to include.
- For each activity, select it from the dropdown (or enter a custom MET value) and enter the duration in minutes.
- Optionally tick "Display MET values per activity" to see a detailed breakdown.
- Click Calculate to see your total MET minutes, whether you meet the 450 MET-min/week recommendation, and estimated calories burned.