How Many Calories Should I Eat If I Don’t Exercise

  • By Spendlessy
  • Updated: Nov 1, 2023

Usually, there are 2 cases. One is when you want to maintain your weight with no exercise. The only way to maintain a healthy weight when you are not exercising is to eat a certain number of calories per day.

Another case is you want to lose weight without doing any exercise. In this case, you will have to go for a calorie deficit (reduction of a few calories from total calorie intake). A good rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is to create a deficit of 500 calories per day.

Create A Safe and Effective Calorie Deficit

To lose some pounds without doing any exercise you need to eat and drink fewer calories than you burn.

To do a calorie deficit you must need to know about daily calorie requirements. There are certain factors like age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity levels that will help in determining your daily calorie needs.

You can use any online calorie count calculator, insert all the information, and you will get your count instantly. SpendLessy is sharing with you a manual calorie count formula. All you need to do is if you are moderately active you need to multiply your weight in pounds by 15 and you will get your numbers.

How To Calculate Calorie Deficit?

Now you have your daily calorie requirement subtract your calorie deficit goal from that number. For example, if your daily calorie requirement is 2200 and you want to do a calorie deficit of 500 (Subtract 2200 – 500) = 1700 will be your daily calorie intake.

A daily 500-calorie deficit will allow you to lose a pound per week if you are not opting to do some physical workout. However, if your physical activity level is moderate you can go for a smaller calorie deficit of 200 – 300.

It is important to select a calorie deficit value in a safe range. If you go for a bigger calorie deficit, you may suffer from these side effects:

  • Dehydration
  • Lethargy
  • Fatigue
  • Constipation
  • Headache
  • Nausea

Please keep in mind even with a 500-calorie deficit it will take some time to lose weight. In the first few weeks, you will probably lose water weight and after cutting higher salt intake and junk food you will start losing your fat weight.

Important Notice

If you have any medical condition without your doctor’s advice, please do not go for calorie deficit as it can worsen your health. For example, people with diabetes can face a significant drop in blood sugar levels or low hydration can affect people with blood pressure.

Tips To Follow When You Are In Calorie Deficit

Drink Plenty Of Water

Water has 0 calories so you can drink as many glasses of water as you want. When you are hydrated enough, the rate of metabolism increases and eventually you will burn more calories even at rest. As per one research study, people who drink 50 ounces of water per day showed a decrease in body weight and body mass index.

Increase The Consumption Of Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are best for weight loss. They are full of fiber (that will make feel full for a longer period) and the best part is they are much lower in calories. Along with grains, nuts, beans, and lean meat, eating fruits and vegetables is a safe and effective way to lose or maintain weight.

Do Not Cut Off Protein From Your Diet

Unlike carbohydrates and fats, protein takes a longer time to digest so it will help you save suffering from hunger pangs. People who consume a protein-rich diet are often seen to munch less junk and usually, they take longer time between meals.

When you start eating more proteins it will help in reducing the buildup of bad fats in your body. It will also increase muscle mass hence you will not lose muscles when you are on a calorie deficit.