How MET-Based Calorie Burn Works
MET stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. One MET is the energy your body uses while sitting quietly at rest, so an activity rated at 7 MET burns roughly seven times that resting energy. Researchers have measured MET values for hundreds of activities, which lets you estimate the calories burned during exercise from just three pieces of information: the activity, your body weight, and how long you keep it up.
The Calculation
The calculator uses the widely accepted formula: calories per minute = (MET × 3.5 × body weight in kilograms) ÷ 200. Multiplying that figure by the number of minutes you exercised gives the total calories burned. Because weight appears in the formula, a heavier person burns more calories than a lighter person doing exactly the same activity for the same length of time.
What Affects How Much You Burn
Three inputs move the result. A higher-MET activity, such as running or high-impact aerobics, burns far more than a gentle walk. Greater body weight raises the energy cost of moving. And a longer duration scales the total directly. Intensity matters too — jogging and sprinting fall in the same family of activities but carry very different MET ratings.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your body weight in kilograms.
- Enter how many minutes the activity lasted.
- Pick the closest matching activity to load its standard MET rating.
- Read the total calories burned and the per-minute burn rate.
Understanding the Limits
MET values are population averages, so treat the result as a solid estimate rather than an exact measurement. Your real expenditure depends on fitness level, body composition, terrain, and effort. For tracking trends across weeks the estimate is very useful, but for medical or clinical decisions you should consult a qualified professional.