MET values make activity energy comparable. They do not make an individual calorie estimate exact.
What one MET means
A standard MET represents resting energy use as 3.5 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram per minute. An activity listed at 6 METs is assigned roughly six times that standard resting rate. The Compendium uses these values to standardise research scoring across many activities.
Actual resting metabolism is not exactly 1 MET for everyone. Age, sex, height, body composition and measurement conditions change it, so multiplying a standard MET by body weight remains an estimate.
Gross and net calories
Gross activity calories include the energy you would have used while resting during the same minutes. Net calories subtract approximately 1 MET and describe the additional energy above rest. Both are valid answers to different questions.
If a daily maintenance estimate already includes ordinary exercise, adding gross workout calories can count some movement twice. Net values are often the clearer comparison when evaluating the extra cost of a session.
Why devices disagree
A treadmill, watch and MET calculator may use different activity definitions, heart-rate models, resting assumptions and smoothing. Strength training is particularly difficult because sets, rest, exercise selection and load change minute by minute.
Use one method consistently to compare similar sessions. Avoid eating back an exact display value or treating a higher calorie number as proof of a better workout; training quality depends on the intended adaptation.
Use uncertainty in the decision
If a session estimate says 420 kcal, acting as though it were exactly 420 creates false precision. Use a range and keep ordinary eating decisions anchored to multi-week weight and performance trends.
For programme design, duration, distance, load and perceived effort are often more actionable than calories. A lower-calorie strength session can still be the better workout for a strength goal.
Practical summary
- Choose the sustained activity, not the hardest moment.
- Calculate mixed sessions in separate blocks.
- Compare similar sessions with the same method.
- Round the output instead of chasing single calories.
- Log training quality beside energy estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Are MET values measured?
Many are based on measured studies; some are estimated. They still represent group-level activity costs.
Do heavier people always burn more?
The standard equation scales with weight, but economy and true resting metabolism also differ.
Is net calorie the amount of fat burned?
No. It is estimated energy above rest, not a direct measure of fuel source or fat loss.
Sources
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