Calculate weekly MET-minutes from your exercise activities. Check if you meet WHO physical activity guidelines with detailed activity tracking.
MET-minutes per week are a way to total up weekly activity by combining intensity and duration.
One MET is the baseline energy cost of resting. Brisk walking, jogging, and vigorous cycling each carry a different MET value, so the same number of minutes can contribute very different totals.
This calculator adds together multiple activities, compares the result with common guideline targets, and shows whether your week looks light, moderate, or well above the usual public-health minimums.
Weekly totals are easier to understand than isolated workouts. This calculator helps you see whether your mix of walking, running, cycling, or strength work reaches a practical activity target over the full week.
MET-minutes/week = Σ (MET value × minutes × frequency). WHO minimum: 600 MET-min/week. Additional benefit: 1,200 MET-min/week. Maximum benefit: ~3,000-4,000 MET-min/week. Calories from activity ≈ MET × weight(kg) × hours × 1.05.
Result: 1,050 MET-min/week (exceeds minimum)
Walking 3.5 MET × 30 min × 5 = 525. Jogging 7.0 MET × 25 min × 3 = 525. Total: 1,050 MET-min/week, meeting WHO minimum (600) and approaching additional-benefit level (1,200).
Research consistently shows a non-linear relationship between activity and health outcomes. The greatest benefit comes from moving from sedentary to moderately active (0 → 600 MET-min/week), reducing mortality risk by 20-30%. Doubling to 1,200 MET-min adds another 10-15% reduction, and reaching 3,000-4,000 MET-min provides maximum benefit. The takeaway: even a little exercise provides enormous health returns.
Common activities and their MET values: Walking slowly (2.0), Walking briskly (3.5-4.3), Cycling leisurely (4.0), Swimming moderately (7.0), Running 6 mph (9.8), Running 8 mph (11.8), Tennis singles (8.0), Basketball game (8.0), Weight training moderate (3.5), Yoga (3.0), Rowing machine vigorous (12.0). The Compendium of Physical Activities maintains 800+ validated values.
Plan A (minimal): Walk 30 min × 5 days = 600 MET-min ✓. Plan B (moderate): Walk 30 min × 3 days + Jog 25 min × 2 days = 875 MET-min. Plan C (active): Run 30 min × 3 days + Strength 45 min × 2 days + Walk 30 min × 2 days = 1,400 MET-min. Plan D (very active): Daily 45-60 min varied activity = 2,000-3,000 MET-min.
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This worksheet multiplies activity minutes by a MET estimate to show weekly MET-minutes for MET Minutes Per Week Calculator. It is a guideline-comparison tool, not a measure of physiologic fitness. Different activities and intensities can shift the total substantially.
1 MET = resting metabolic rate ≈ 3.5 mL O₂/kg/min ≈ 1 kcal/kg/hr. Moderate exercise is 3-6 METs. Vigorous exercise is 6+ METs. Sleeping is ~0.9 MET, and elite sprint cycling is ~16 METs.
WHO minimum: 600 (150 min moderate or 75 min vigorous). Recommended: 1,200 (300 min moderate). Maximum benefit: 3,000-4,000. Going above 4,000 provides minimal additional health benefit but is not harmful.
For basic health maintenance, yes. 150 minutes of moderate exercise (600 MET-min) reduces all-cause mortality by ~20-30%. Doubling to 300 minutes adds another 10-15% reduction. The first 150 minutes provide the most benefit per time invested.
Yes, if they're above 3 METs. Vacuuming (3.3 MET), mopping (3.5 MET), gardening (3.8 MET), and lawn mowing (5.5 MET) all count toward your MET-minutes. Light housework below 3 METs doesn't meaningfully contribute.
Absolutely. The MET-minute system naturally handles this—1 minute of vigorous activity (6+ MET) contributes roughly double the MET-minutes of 1 minute of moderate activity (3-6 MET). Mix and match to reach your goal.
The Compendium of Physical Activities, maintained by Arizona State University, catalogues MET values for 800+ activities based on research. Values are averages—your actual energy expenditure varies with body composition, fitness level, and intensity.