A unit of measurement that refers to the relative energy demands of an activity in comparison to your energy demands in a resting state is known as a:

The term that represents the relative energy demands of an activity in comparison to resting energy expenditure is known as a MET, which stands for Metabolic Equivalent of Task. One MET is equivalent to the energy expenditure at rest, which is approximately 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. When activities are performed, their MET value indicates how many times greater the energy expenditure is compared to resting levels.

For instance, an activity with a MET value of 5 means that it requires five times the energy that would be expended at rest. This unit is important for personal trainers and fitness professionals as it helps in prescribing the intensity of exercises and comparing the caloric costs of different activities. It provides a standardized way to express and compare the energy requirements of various physical activities, making it easier to develop personalized training programs based on an individual’s fitness level and goals.

In contrast, the other options, while related to energy expenditure, do not specifically provide a comparative metric like MET does. Watt is a unit of power, calorie measures energy, and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) refers to the number of calories your body needs at rest, but does not express the energy cost of activities relative to that resting state.