How many calories should an inactive person eat?

December 10, 2025 •

4 min read

An inactive person's metabolic rate naturally slows down with age, meaning calorie requirements decrease over time. Determining exactly how many calories should an inactive person eat is crucial for avoiding weight gain, as a sedentary lifestyle burns significantly fewer calories than an active one.

Quick Summary

This article explains how to determine the appropriate daily calorie intake for someone with a sedentary lifestyle, detailing calculations and providing age and gender-based estimates. It also covers the importance of focusing on nutrient-dense foods and the risks associated with a calorie surplus when inactive.

Key Points

Calculate BMR with Mifflin-St Jeor: Use the formula tailored for men and women, then multiply by the sedentary activity factor of 1.2 to estimate your daily calorie needs for maintenance.
Follow Age-Specific Guidelines: Refer to USDA-based estimates, with sedentary women needing roughly 1,600-2,000 calories and sedentary men requiring 2,000-2,600 calories, depending on their age.
Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Focus on whole foods like lean proteins, whole grains, and a wide array of vegetables to maximize nutritional intake on a lower calorie budget.
Practice Portion Control: Mindful eating and proper portion sizing are essential for preventing overconsumption, a common risk for those with sedentary habits.
Be Aware of Health Risks: Consistently eating more calories than you burn, especially when inactive, can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration with water is important for overall health and can help manage feelings of hunger and fatigue.

Understanding Your Caloric Needs for an Inactive Lifestyle

For those with a desk job, limited daily activity, and little to no structured exercise, managing caloric intake is paramount to maintaining a healthy weight. A sedentary lifestyle significantly impacts your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. While a person's basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for the bulk of their energy use, the low activity multiplier makes calorie control a key factor in avoiding unnecessary weight gain. Consulting a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice is always recommended, but understanding the basic principles and calculations is an excellent starting point.

What is a Sedentary Lifestyle?

A sedentary lifestyle is characterized by a low level of physical activity. For calculation purposes, this means performing little to no exercise and engaging in minimal movement throughout the day, such as an office worker who sits for most of their working hours. The total energy expended is only slightly above the basal metabolic rate, which is the energy required to sustain basic bodily functions at rest. Over time, consistently consuming more calories than your body needs can lead to weight gain, increasing the risk of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

A precise way to estimate your daily calorie needs is by first calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using a clinically validated formula, such as the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This formula is widely regarded as more accurate for calculating the BMR of non-obese and obese individuals than older equations.

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:

Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161

After calculating your BMR, you then multiply it by an activity factor to determine your TDEE. For a sedentary lifestyle, the activity factor is 1.2.

Example calculation: A 40-year-old female weighing 68 kg (150 lbs) and standing 165 cm (5'5") would calculate her TDEE as follows:

BMR: (10 × 68) + (6.25 × 165) - (5 × 40) - 161 = 680 + 1031.25 - 200 - 161 = 1350.25
TDEE (Sedentary): 1350.25 × 1.2 = 1620 calories per day

Estimated Daily Calories for Inactive Adults

While individual needs vary based on weight, height, and genetics, general guidelines based on age and gender can provide a useful starting point for how many calories should an inactive person eat. The ranges below are based on recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.


Age Range (Years)	Sedentary Females (Calories/Day)	Sedentary Males (Calories/Day)
19-25	2,000	2,400–2,600
26-50	1,800	2,200–2,400
51+	1,600	2,000

These are general estimates for maintaining weight. If weight loss is the goal, a modest calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is a good starting point, which typically results in losing about one pound per week.

Sample Balanced Meal Plan for an Inactive Person

It is vital for those with a sedentary lifestyle to focus on nutrient-dense foods to ensure the body receives all necessary vitamins and minerals without consuming excess calories.

Breakfast: Mixed berry oatmeal with nuts and chia seeds for fiber and healthy fats.
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with a variety of vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes) and a light olive oil dressing.
Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted broccoli and quinoa.
Snacks: A handful of almonds, Greek yogurt with a few berries, or carrot sticks with hummus.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Herbal tea or infused water (lemon, cucumber) can add flavor without sugar.

The Risks of Calorie Surplus for Inactive Lifestyles

A consistent calorie surplus, especially when inactive, forces the body to store excess energy as fat. This can have significant health repercussions beyond simple weight gain, including:

Increased risk of chronic diseases: Conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are closely linked to excessive body fat.
Systemic inflammation: Caloric excess, particularly from highly processed foods, can lead to systemic low-grade inflammation, contributing to various health issues.
Nutritional deficiencies: A diet high in calories but low in nutrients can lead to deficiencies, as the focus is often on processed, calorie-dense foods instead of whole foods.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Balance

Determining how many calories should an inactive person eat is a careful balancing act that depends on individual factors like age, gender, and current weight goals. For a sedentary lifestyle, focusing on nutrient-dense, whole foods, practicing portion control, and staying adequately hydrated are crucial for weight management and overall health. While general guidelines and formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor can provide estimates, listening to your body and making sustainable dietary choices are key. Combining a mindful eating approach with even light physical activity can further enhance health outcomes and mitigate the risks associated with a sedentary life. For more on the science of metabolism and aging, consult the National Center for Biotechnology Information at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

For sedentary men, calorie needs generally range from 2,000 to 2,600 calories per day, decreasing with age. A 21-40 year old sedentary man typically needs around 2,400 calories.

A sedentary woman's calorie needs vary by age, generally ranging from 1,600 to 2,000 calories. A 26-50 year old sedentary woman needs approximately 1,800 calories per day.

You can calculate your estimated sedentary calorie needs by first determining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Then, multiply your BMR by 1.2, which is the activity factor for a sedentary lifestyle.

An inactive person should focus on nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates like whole grains, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Limiting processed foods and refined sugars is also important.

Excess calorie consumption without sufficient activity can lead to weight gain, increasing the risk of chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

To maintain a healthy weight, consume a balanced, nutritious diet within your estimated calorie range, practice portion control, and incorporate even light physical activity like walking to increase your daily energy expenditure.

While it's not always necessary to count every single calorie, having a basic understanding of your daily calorie needs is very helpful for weight management when you are inactive. It can prevent the unconscious overconsumption that often leads to weight gain.