MET converter
Convert exercise intensity between METs, oxygen uptake and calories burned. One MET is what you use sitting still.
That's 1.33× as hard as cycling at a steady pace, while running a 10-minute mile is 1.23× harder. An hour of that burns about 560 kcal for a 70 kg person.
What it means
How hard is that?
Calorie figures are for a 70 kg person and assume a normal mixed diet. Real energy cost varies with fitness, technique and body composition.
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Your intensity in every unit
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Three things worth knowing
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1 MET = 3.5 mL O₂ per kg per minute
That works out at about 1 kcal per kilogram per hour, so a 70 kg person at 8 METs burns roughly 570 kcal an hour.
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One number for any activity
The Compendium of Physical Activities assigned MET values to hundreds of activities so studies could add up "how much exercise" without measuring anyone’s oxygen.
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One MET is not exactly one kcal/kg/h
It is about 1.02, since burning a liter of oxygen releases nearer 4.86 kcal than 5. The approximation is fine for planning, not for a metabolic study.
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Background
About METs
One MET is the energy you use at rest: 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute. Everything else is a multiple. Walking is about 3.5 METs, running a 10-minute mile about 10, and an elite cyclist can hold 20 for an hour.
Guidelines are written in MET-hours a week, which is why the unit matters outside the laboratory.