Resting & Doing Nothing Calories Burned Calculato
Calculate how many calories your body burns during rest and low-activity states. Understand your basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure at rest.
How Many Calories Do You Burn While Resting and Doing Nothing?
Your body burns between 40-80 calories per hour even while completely at rest, depending on your body weight, composition, age, and gender. According to research on energy homeostasis, this resting energy expenditure (REE) accounts for 60-75% of your total daily calories burned. For a 150-pound person, this equals approximately 1,600-1,800 calories per day just to maintain basic bodily functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production—all without performing any physical activity.
Resting & Inactivity Energy Expenditure Levels
Based on the Compendium of Physical Activities and Harvard Health research, here are the different resting and inactivity levels:
- Basal Metabolic Rate (1.0 MET): Sleeping, lying quietly, complete rest
- Very Light Activity (1.0-1.3 METs): Sitting watching TV, lying while listening to music, sitting quietly
- Light Inactivity (1.3-1.5 METs): Sitting while reading, talking on the phone, standing in line
- Fidgeting Activities (1.5-1.8 METs): Sitting while fidgeting hands or feet, standing with minor movements
According to research on NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), individuals who fidget while sitting or standing can burn up to 350 additional calories per day compared to those who remain completely still!
Resting Energy Expenditure
According to scientific research, your resting calorie burn is influenced by several factors:
Biological Factors
- Genetics (10-30% variation)
- Age (decreases ~2% per decade)
- Biological sex differences
- Hormonal influence
Body Composition
- Muscle mass (burns more calories)
- Fat percentage (metabolically less active)
- Organ energy demands
- Body surface area
Physiological States
- Body temperature variations
- Stress hormone levels
- Illness/recovery states
- Fasting vs. fed state
Metabolic Factors
- Thyroid function
- Brown fat activation
- Mitochondrial efficiency
- Previous exercise history
Resting & Inactive Calorie Burn Chart
| Duration | Complete Rest (1.0 MET) |
Very Light (1.3 MET) |
Light Inactivity (1.5 MET) |
Fidgeting (1.8 MET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 45-70 calories | 58-91 calories | 67-105 calories | 81-126 calories |
| 4 hours | 180-280 calories | 232-364 calories | 268-420 calories | 324-504 calories |
| 8 hours | 360-560 calories | 464-728 calories | 536-840 calories | 648-1008 calories |
| 24 hours | 1080-1680 calories | 1392-2184 calories | 1608-2520 calories | 1944-3024 calories |
Calories Burned by Specific Inactive Activities
| Inactive Activity | MET Value | Calories/Hour (150 lb person) | Physiological Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeping | 1.0 | 63 calories | Brain tissue recovery, memory consolidation, hormone regulation |
| Watching TV (sitting) | 1.0 | 63 calories | Minimal metabolic activity, reduced muscle activation |
| Reading (sitting) | 1.3 | 82 calories | Cognitive engagement, slight increase in cerebral blood flow |
| Standing in line | 1.3 | 82 calories | Slight postural muscle engagement, improved circulation |
| Sitting (fidgeting) | 1.5 | 95 calories | Increased peripheral circulation, minor muscle contractions |
| Fidgeting feet | 1.8 | 113 calories | Enhanced calf muscle engagement, improved venous return |
Formulas for Calculating Resting Calories Burned
BMR (Men) = 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) – (5.677 × age in years)
BMR (Women) = 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) – (4.330 × age in years)
Calories Burned = BMR × Activity Level MET × Time (hours)
- BMR: Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at complete rest)
- MET Value: 1.0-1.8 (from Compendium of Physical Activities)
- Activity Level: Factor based on activity intensity
- Time: Duration in hours
NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis
According to research on energy expenditure, NEAT includes all the calories burned during non-exercise activities:
- Baseline NEAT (1.0-1.8 METs): Involuntary movements, posture maintenance, fidgeting; accounts for 100-800 calories/day variation between individuals
- Occupational NEAT (1.5-2.5 METs): Standing desk work, slow walking, job-related movements; can differ by 2000+ calories/day between sedentary vs. active occupations
- Leisure NEAT (1.5-3.0 METs): Shopping, cooking, playing an instrument; contributes 400-1200 calories/day for most people
- Intentional NEAT (2.0-3.0 METs): Taking stairs instead of elevator, parking farther away; strategic efforts can add 300-500 calories/day
Resting vs. NEAT vs. Exercise Energy Expenditure
| Energy Component | Daily Calories (average) | % of Total Daily Expenditure | Variability Between People | Modifiability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basal Metabolic Rate | 1400-1800 calories | 60-75% | Low-Moderate (±10-15%) | Very Low (requires body composition changes) |
| Non-Exercise Activity (NEAT) | 400-1200 calories | 15-30% | Very High (±200-800%) | Very High (immediate behavioral changes) |
| Exercise Activity (EAT) | 100-700 calories | 5-15% | High (±0-700%) | High (planned activity changes) |
| Thermic Effect of Food | 100-300 calories | 5-10% | Moderate (±5-15%) | Moderate (dietary composition changes) |
Boost Your Calorie Burn Without Exercise
Based on Harvard Health recommendations, here are evidence-based strategies to increase your non-exercise calorie expenditure:
- Strategic Fidgeting: Simple movements like foot tapping, finger drumming, or stretching while seated can burn up to 350 extra calories daily
- Stand More: Standing instead of sitting for 3 hours daily burns an additional 30-50 calories per hour (90-150 extra calories/day)
- Break Up Sitting: Taking a 2-minute movement break every 30 minutes can boost metabolism by 5-8% throughout the day
- Posture Improvement: Maintaining proper posture engages core muscles, burning 20-30 additional calories per hour over slouching
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References
- von Loeffelholz C, Birkenfeld AL. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Energy Homeostasis. [Updated 2022 Nov 25]. In: Feingold KR, Ahmed SF, Anawalt B, et al., editors.
- Tarek Aziz, Mohammad & R, Sudheesh & Pecho, Renzon & Khan, Nayeem & Hasna Era, Akba Ull & Chowdhury, MD. (2023). Calories Burnt Prediction Using Machine Learning Approach. Current Integrative Engineering. 1. 29-36. 10.59762/cie570390541120231031130323.
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, Barreira TV, Hastert M, Kracht CL, Schuna Jr. JM, Cai Z, Quan M, Tudor-Locke C, Whitt-Glover MC, Jacobs DR. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024;13(1):
