MET: Allowing You To More Accurately Gauge Your Level of Intensity in Everyday Activities

Moderate Activity 3.0 to 6.0 METs (3.5 to 7 kcal/min)

Vigorous Activity Greater than 6.0 METs (more than 7 kcal/min)

• Putting groceries away—walking and carrying especially large or heavy items less than 50 lbs.

• Carrying several heavy bags (25 lbs or more) of groceries at one time up a flight of stairs
• Grocery shopping while carrying young children and pushing a full grocery cart, or pushing two full grocery carts at once

• Actively playing with children—walking, running, or climbing while playing with children
• Walking while carrying a child weighing less than 50 lbs
• Walking while pushing or pulling a child in a stroller or an adult in a wheelchair
• Carrying a child weighing less than 25 lbs up a flight of stairs
• Child care: handling uncooperative young children (e.g., chasing, dressing, lifting into car seat), or handling several young children at one time
• Bathing and dressing an adult

• Vigorously playing with children—running longer distances or playing strenuous games with children
• Racewalking or jogging while pushing a stroller designed for sport use
• Carrying an adult or a child weighing 25 lbs or more up a flight of stairs
• Standing or walking while carrying an adult or a child weighing 50 lbs or more

• Home repair: cleaning gutters, caulking, refinishing furniture, sanding floors with a power sander, or laying or removing carpet or tiles
• General home construction work: roofing, painting inside or outside of the house, wall papering, scraping, plastering, or remodeling

• Home repair or construction: very hard physical labor, standing or walking while carrying heavy loads of 50 lbs or more, taking loads of 25 lbs or more up a flight of stairs or ladder (e.g., carrying roofing materials onto the roof), or concrete or masonry work