Caloric Cost of Sport (MET) Calculator

About this calculator

Calories burned during exercise are commonly estimated using MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values, a standardized intensity scale where 1 MET equals the energy your body uses at rest; the Compendium of Physical Activities compiled by Barbara Ainsworth and colleagues assigns a specific MET value to hundreds of activities, from casual walking around 3 METs to competitive running well above 10 METs. Calories burned equals MET value multiplied by body weight in kilograms multiplied by duration in hours.

Personal trainers, dietitians, and fitness apps rely on MET-based estimates because they let you compare energy cost across very different activities on the same scale, and because they only require weight and duration as inputs rather than heart-rate or metabolic-cart data that most people don’t have access to.

Select or enter the MET value for your activity along with your body weight and session duration, and this calculator returns the estimated calories burned for that session.