How the estimate works
Select the activity description that best matches the time you spent moving, enter your body mass, and enter those moving minutes. This worksheet uses the published MET value for that activity and the conventional approximation gross kcal = MET × body mass (kg) × moving minutes ÷ 60. The Compendium unit conversionsdefine 1 MET as approximately 1 kcal per kilogram per hour. Pounds are converted to kilograms before calculation.
Gross energy includes the energy you would have used at rest during those minutes. It is not an “extra calories above rest” figure or a measured personal result.
Choose a published hiking protocol
The 2024 Adult Compendium walking tablelists specific activities, rather than a single number for every “flat” or “steep” trail. Choose by the whole description: pace, setting, load, and grade where specified. If your outing changed substantially, calculate each matching moving segment separately and add the estimates.
| Compendium code | Published activity | MET |
|---|---|---|
| 17081 | Hiking slowly through fields and hillsides, no load | 3.8 |
| 17082 | Hiking at normal pace through fields and hillsides, no load | 5.3 |
| 17012 | Hiking or organized walking with a daypack | 7.8 |
| 17045 | Climbing hills, 10–20 lb load, 5–10% grade, moderate pace | 6.5 |
These rows summarize different activity observations. Their numbers are not a calibrated ladder of terrain difficulty, and they do not predict speed or travel time for a route.
How to handle a pack
Use the daypack entry only when a daypack matches your activity. The hill-climbing entry is specifically for a 10–20 lb (about 4.5–9.1 kg) load on a 5–10% grade at a moderate pace. Do not add a generic number of METs per kilogram of pack weight: the cited table does not supply such a rule. If neither protocol fits, a single listed value may be a poor match.
What the estimate means
The 2024 Adult Compendium paperdescribes reference MET values for adults aged 19–59. They help compare named physical activities across studies. A person's actual energy use can differ because the standard MET assumes a reference resting rate, and the table cannot capture every change in pace, surface, grade, or load. Do not treat the output as a precise personal measurement or a calorie intake target.
A worked example
A 70 kg adult records 90 minutes moving at a normal pace through fields and hillsides without a load. Compendium code 17082 is 5.3 METs, so 5.3 × 70 × 90 ÷ 60 = 556.5 gross kcal. If the trip also included a 30-minute seated break, leave it out of the 90 moving minutes. For a genuinely different walking segment, use a separate matching code and duration.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter the whole elapsed trip time?
Enter moving time for the chosen protocol. Exclude breaks; split distinct activities into separate calculations.
Does distance determine calories here?
No. Distance alone does not specify time, pace, load, or grade, so this worksheet asks for moving duration.
Is this an estimate of calories above rest?
No. The displayed value is a gross reference estimate that includes resting expenditure during the entered minutes.
What if none of the descriptions matches my hike?
Use the value only as a rough reference if a protocol is close. Do not assume an unlisted route has the same MET.
Sources and scope
Published 2024: Herrmann and colleagues, 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Activity codes and METs: Compendium walking table. Formula convention: Compendium unit conversions. Sources accessed 29 September 2026. The 2024 Adult Compendium covers adults 19–59; its values are reference averages, not a personal energy measurement.