How Many Calories Do You Burn In A Day Without Exercise?

Calorie counting is a popular and effective way to lose weight. But to help you work out how many calories you need to consume daily, it’s important to know how many calories you burn in a day at rest.

Calories measure the energy we take in through eating and how much we expend. They provide energy for our bodies to perform essential basic functions. This idling state is known as the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR).

In this article, we explain everything you need to know about the body’s BMR and how many calories the average person burns a day.

Your Body At Rest

You may think laying on the sofa uses no energy at all, when in fact, there are still a bunch of things going on inside your body that require energy. For example, energy is needed to maintain basic functions such as breathing, circulating blood, and building cells.

Your BMR represents the number of calories you need to perform these essential functions in a given period. Essentially, how many your body needs to remain alive.

Your BMR accounts for roughly two-thirds of your total calorie expenditure in a day, so a fair chunk. Some people may have a higher BMR than others because metabolism is affected by a number of factors, such as age, gender, body size and composition, and medical conditions.

Fidgeting is another source of casual energy expenditure. If you like a good leg jiggle, you will actually be burning through more calories. According to one study, this could increase calorie expenditure by up to 350 calories a day (1)!

So if you aim to lose weight, you might want to try picking up fidgeting as a new habit - much to your friends’ dismay!

The varying factors that influence metabolism mean it can sometimes be difficult to determine your BMR accurately. Luckily, there is a simple equation that you can use to help you work out how many calories you burn at rest a day.

Receive unique insights, advice and exclusive offers.

Email address Subscribe

Calculating Your Own BMR

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is an old-school formula to help you estimate your own BMR (2).

For those who enjoy math - time to get your calculators out! You will also need your weight (kg), height (cm), and age to fill in the formula below. Note that the formula is different for men and women.

• Males: 9.99 × weight + 6.25 × height – 4.92 × age + 5 = BMR
• Females: 9.99 × weight + 6.25 × height – 4.92 × age – 161= BMR

Generally, most people burn over 1800 calories a day without any exercise. But it’s important to remember that this is just a guide.

And while this is still considered the best equation for measuring metabolic rate, it is only 70% accurate (3). A more accurate measurement would need to be done in a lab with the proper lab equipment.

Boosting Calorie Expenditure

To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than your body uses, known as a calorie deficit. Exercise is the obvious factor that will increase your calorie expenditure, but did you know some supplements can also help raise your metabolic rate to help you burn more calories at rest?

Performance Lab Caffeine Plus not only improves mental alertness and physical energy but also raises your metabolism to help boost fat burning and accelerate weight loss.

A combination of other clever ingredients such as L-theanine and L-tyrosine also minimizes the adverse side effects commonly associated with caffeine for cleaner stimulation.

Conclusion

Calories are a measurement of the amount of energy your body uses in a given time. During rest periods, calories are still used to power essential functions such as breathing, the heartbeat, and cellular processes.

This is known as the BMR, which can be calculated using a simple equation that takes into account weight, age, height, and gender. On average, a person will burn at least 1800 calories a day without exercise.

To lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit. Caffeine supplements can help you achieve this state by boosting your BMR to promote fat burning.