Last updated July 2026.
MET shows up constantly on this site, in the formula, in the calculator, in the FAQ. Here’s what it actually means, in plain terms, and why it’s the foundation of every calorie number you’ll see here.
The Short Definition
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It’s a ratio: how many times harder your body is working during an activity compared to sitting quietly at rest. Sitting at rest is defined as exactly 1 MET, roughly equivalent to consuming 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. An activity with a MET value of 5 requires five times the energy of sitting still, for the same person, same duration.
Why MET Instead of Just ‘Calories Per Minute’?
Calories per minute depends heavily on body weight, a 250 lb person and a 130 lb person burn very different amounts doing the identical activity. MET strips body weight out of the equation, it’s a measure of relative intensity that applies whether you’re light or heavy. That’s what makes it useful as a building block: once you know the MET value for an activity, you multiply by the individual’s actual weight to get their personal calorie number.
Common MET Values, for Reference
| Activity | Approximate MET |
|---|---|
| Sitting quietly | 1.0 |
| Slow walking (2 mph) | 2.8 |
| Brisk walking (3.5 mph, flat) | 3.7 |
| Walking, 5% incline (3.5 mph) | 6.1 |
| Running, 6 mph (flat) | 10.2 |
| Running, 7 mph (flat) | 11.8 |
These are approximate and vary by grade, pace, and individual factors, they’re the exact values used elsewhere on this site, calculated with the ACSM equations rather than pulled from a static lookup table. Full methodology on our methodology page.
How MET Becomes a Calorie Number
Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)
That’s the entire formula. A 6 MET activity, done by a 70 kg person, for 1 hour: 6 × 70 × 1 = 420 calories. Change the weight, the duration, or the MET value (by changing your speed or incline), and the number changes accordingly, transparently, with no hidden adjustment.
Where MET Values Come From
The reference values used across exercise science trace back to the Compendium of Physical Activities, a research database maintained by exercise physiologists that catalogs MET values for hundreds of activities based on published studies. For activities like treadmill walking and running, where the MET value changes continuously with speed and incline rather than being a single fixed number, we use the ACSM metabolic equations instead of a static Compendium entry, since they calculate MET dynamically for your exact inputs.
The Limits of MET-Based Estimates
MET values are population averages, they represent a typical response for a given activity, not a lab-measured value for your specific body. Individual fitness level, body composition, age, and movement economy all cause real people to vary somewhat from the MET-predicted number. This is true of every MET-based calculator, including this one, and it’s why we recommend using these numbers for consistent relative tracking rather than treating any single figure as an exact measurement.