Are You a METs Fan?
Metabolic equivalents – “METs” – are a standardized measure of the intensity of exercise. Most treadmills, ellipticals and other cardio machines made in the past five years can measure METs using basic height and weight data you input when you begin.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that using METs rather than your heart rate may be a more accurate way to monitor fitness levels. Since overall fitness is critical to the quality (and often the length) of our lives, it pays to watch your METs!
Of course, those who are new to exercise, are pregnant, or have other medical conditions should always talk with a doctor before beginning a workout program. If you are ready to exercise, use this simple calculation to find your optimal METs expenditure: multiply your age by 0.13 and subtract the product from 14.7. (A 35-year old woman would end up at 10.15.) Each time you hop on a cardio machine, aim to hit the resulting number. If you don’t quite hit the mark the first time, just keep trying to get as many METs per workout as you can; pretty soon, you’ll see the number climb, along with your fitness level.
The METs calculation works exactly the same for men as it does for women, so go ahead and get co-ed watching some METs!
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