A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) rates how hard an activity is relative to rest: 1 MET is sitting quietly, and a 9.8-MET run burns energy nearly ten times faster. This calculator turns an activity's MET, your weight and your time into calories burned, plus the per-minute and per-hour rate.
Reviewed: June 20, 2026 · Author: Naveen P N, Founder — AI Calculator · Verified against: the standard ACSM MET energy equation, recomputed in code.
The formula
The 3.5 is resting oxygen use in millilitres per kilogram per minute, and dividing by 200 converts oxygen to calories. Because weight is in the formula, heavier people burn more for the same activity, and longer or higher-MET sessions burn more too. Enter weight in pounds and it's converted to kilograms first (1 lb = 0.4536 kg).
Worked examples
70 kg, running 9.8 MET, 30 min:
80 kg, cycling 8.0 MET, 45 min:
70 kg, walking 3.5 MET, 30 min:
Per minute, that running session burns about 12 kcal versus roughly 4.3 kcal walking — the higher MET more than doubles the rate. These are averages; your real burn depends on fitness, efficiency and terrain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Metabolic equivalent of task. 1 MET = resting; an 8-MET activity burns ~8× faster than sitting.
MET × 3.5 × kg ÷ 200 × minutes. 70 kg, 9.8 MET, 30 min ≈ 360 kcal.
Walking ~3.5 MET. 70 kg for 30 min ≈ 129 kcal; more if heavier or faster.
Walking 3.5, swimming 6, cycling 8, running 9.8, jump rope 12.3.
It's an average. Real burn varies with fitness, efficiency, terrain and body composition.