Standing calorie burn by intensity
Estimates use the formula kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours, with MET values from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Figures are gross burn — they include the calories you would have burned at rest.
| Intensity | MET | kcal / 30 min* | kcal / 60 min* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing quietly | 1.3 | 46 | 91 |
| Standing, light work (desk/cashier) | 1.8 | 63 | 126 |
| Standing, moderate tasks | 3.0 | 105 | 210 |
*For a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Use the calculator above for your own weight.
Burn by body weight
At a typical intensity for standing (1.8 METs), here's how the burn scales with body weight:
| Body weight | 15 min | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | 25 | 50 | 99 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 32 | 63 | 126 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | 38 | 76 | 153 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 45 | 90 | 180 |
Getting more from standing
- Standing alone adds roughly 0.3–0.5 kcal/min over sitting — modest, so pair it with movement breaks.
- Alternate sitting and standing in 30–60 minute blocks rather than standing all day.
- An under-desk treadmill at 2 km/h triples the standing burn while barely affecting typing.
Want the bigger picture? Your workout is one slice of total daily burn — estimate the whole thing with the TDEE calculator, or compare against 25+ other activities in the calories burned calculator.
More activities
- 🚶 Walking
- 🏃 Running
- 🐢 Jogging
- 🚴 Cycling
- 🏊 Swimming
- 🏋️ Weightlifting
- 🪢 Jumping Rope
- 🥾 Hiking
- 🧘 Yoga
- 🤸 Pilates
- 🚣 Rowing
- ⚙️ Elliptical
- 🪜 Stair Climbing
- 💃 Dancing
- 🏀 Basketball
- ⚽ Soccer (Football)
- 🎾 Tennis
- ⛳ Golf
- 🔥 HIIT Workouts
- 🥊 Boxing
- 🛶 Kayaking
- 🌱 Gardening
- 🧹 Housework & Cleaning
- 😴 Sleeping
- 🏸 Badminton
Sources
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. [link]
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does standing for 8 hours burn?
Versus sitting the same hours, standing adds roughly 150–250 kcal for an average adult — like a 30-minute walk, spread invisibly across the day.
Do standing desks help with weight loss?
Slightly and indirectly. The standing itself is minor; the extra steps, posture shifts and breaks that standing encourages are the real mechanism.