Calorie needs for a sedentary person
Without regular exercise, needs are around 1,600 to 2,000 kcal/day for a woman and 2,000 to 2,400 kcal for a man. Benchmarks: your figure depends mostly on your build.
Calculate my exact needEstimated calorie needs for a sedentary lifestyle
Basal metabolism accounts for most of a sedentary person's expenditure: moving a bit more (daily walking, stairs) raises the need noticeably and makes balance easier.
For a figure tailored to you, the calculator applies the Mifflin-St Jeor equation with a low activity factor, and returns a range rather than a fake exact number.
Tools: calorie calculator · deficit calculator · count from a photo.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How many calories per day without exercise?＋
About 1,600 to 2,000 kcal for a woman and 2,000 to 2,400 kcal for a sedentary man, depending on age and build.
How to burn more without sport?＋
Daily walking, stairs and standing (NEAT) easily add 200 to 400 kcal of expenditure per day.
By Can Ozmen, founder of Volumeal · Updated July 3, 2026 · Method & sources