MET Minutes Per Week Calculator

Multiply an activity's intensity (in METs) by the minutes you do it and how many sessions you do each week to get your weekly MET-minutes, then see how it compares to the 500–1000 MET-min/week guideline.

Quick Facts

Formula
MET-minutes/week = METs × minutes/session × sessions/week
1 MET is resting metabolism (~3.5 mL O₂/kg/min); guideline target is 500–1000 MET-min/week.

Your Results

Calculated
MET-minutes per week
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METs × minutes × sessions
MET-minutes per session
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METs × minutes
Weekly active minutes
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minutes × sessions
Guideline status
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vs 500–1000 MET-min/week

Ready

Enter your activity, session length, and weekly frequency, then calculate.

About MET-minutes per week

A MET, or metabolic equivalent of task, expresses how hard an activity is relative to sitting quietly at rest. By definition 1 MET equals a resting oxygen uptake of about 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (roughly 1 kcal per kg per hour). An activity rated at 6 METs burns energy about six times faster than rest. Multiplying an activity's MET value by the number of minutes you spend on it gives MET-minutes, a single number that captures both intensity and duration.

MET-minutes per week extend that idea across a whole week so you can compare your activity to public-health targets. This calculator uses the simplest common form: a single activity done for a fixed session length a certain number of times per week.

The formula

MET-minutes per week = METs × minutes per session × sessions per week.

For example, jogging at 6 METs for 30 minutes, five times a week, gives 6 × 30 × 5 = 900 MET-minutes per week. If you do several different activities, calculate the MET-minutes for each and add them together for a weekly total.

Typical MET values

MET values come from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Common reference points include:

  • Slow walking (2.5 mph): about 3.0 METs
  • Brisk walking (3.5–4 mph): about 4.3 METs
  • General cycling (12–14 mph): about 8.0 METs
  • Jogging (5 mph): about 8.0 METs; running at 6 mph: about 9.8 METs
  • Swimming laps, moderate: about 5.8 METs
  • General weight training: about 3.5 METs; vigorous: about 6.0 METs
  • Yoga (Hatha): about 2.5 METs

How much is enough?

Physical-activity guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. In MET-minutes that works out to roughly 500 MET-minutes per week at the low end, with 500–1000 MET-minutes per week widely used as the recommended range. For instance, 150 minutes of a moderate 3.3-MET activity is about 500 MET-minutes. Accumulating 500 or more MET-minutes per week is associated with substantial reductions in all-cause mortality risk, with additional but diminishing benefit up to around 3000–4000 MET-minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a MET minute?
A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) is the ratio of an activity's energy cost to resting metabolism; 1 MET equals about 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute. A MET-minute is that MET value multiplied by one minute of activity. Thirty minutes of a 6-MET activity equals 180 MET-minutes.
How many MET minutes per week should I aim for?
Aim for at least 500 MET-minutes per week, which corresponds to the standard 150 minutes of moderate activity, and ideally 500–1000 MET-minutes per week. More is generally better up to a point, with benefits continuing to accrue (at a slower rate) toward roughly 3000 MET-minutes per week.
Does MET-minutes account for my body weight?
No. MET-minutes measure relative intensity and time, not absolute calories, so the same activity gives the same MET-minutes for everyone. To estimate calories burned you multiply METs × weight in kg × hours (calories ≈ METs × 3.5 × kg × minutes ÷ 200), which does depend on body weight.
Can I combine different activities?
Yes. Calculate METs × minutes for each activity session, then add all the MET-minutes together to get your weekly total. This calculator handles one activity at a time, so run it once per activity and sum the results.

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