Calories Burned (MET)

This formula estimates how much energy a person uses during an activity by combining the activity’s intensity, body mass, and duration. A MET is a unit that compares the activity’s oxygen and energy demand to resting metabolism, so multiplying MET by mass and time gives a practical estimate of total calories burned. It works because a heavier person generally uses more energy to do the same activity, and doing it longer increases the total cost.

Use this when you want a quick estimate of calories burned from exercise, sports, or other physical activities such as cycling, swimming, or walking. It is especially useful for comparing activities or planning workouts, nutrition, and weight-management goals.

• Using minutes instead of hours without converting the time first
• Confusing MET values for different activities or using an outdated MET estimate
• Assuming the result is exact, when it is only an approximation that can vary by fitness level, efficiency, and workout intensity