Calories burned by occupation - What your job burns and your real TDEE
Nutrition
By Jesús Narváez Tamés ·
Work out the calories your workday burns based on your job and hours, how much running it equals and your real average daily burn, instead of picking "sedentary", "light" or "active".
How much your job burns
Calorie calculators make you choose between "sedentary", "light" or "active", and hardly anyone knows where they fit. A waitress who spends 8 hours on her feet carrying trays is not "sedentary" even if she never goes to the gym, and a programmer who trains 4 days a week still spends 90% of the workday sitting. Here you pick your job and the result comes from what your workday is really like.
Each job is a typical split of the workday between sitting, standing, walking, carrying loads or cycling, with the energy cost of each task from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the scientific reference for the energy cost of activities. It is applied to your basal metabolic rate and gives you your workday burn, how much running it equals, your TDEE on a workday and a day off, and the weekly average, which is the one to use for your diet. Below you can see how every job compares with your weight and height.
Walks, walking to places… Not counting steps at work or workouts.
Your workday burns the same as 1 h 47 min of running at 10 km/h, on top of what you would burn sitting at home for those hours.
Your activity factor is 1.82 (TDEE ÷ basal metabolic rate). In the calorie calculator, the closest level is "Very active". Workouts are not included: add them separately.
How much each job burns, with your body
Kcal for an 8-hour shift on top of sitting at home.
- Bike courier2,094
- Bricklayer / construction1,429
- Warehouse worker1,362
- Gardener1,254
- Supermarket shelf stacker1,174
- Farmer1,143
- Fitness coach or instructor1,059
- Waiter / waitress (you)1,044
- Postal worker on foot1,040
- Cleaner936
- Cook / chef922
- Healthcare assistant or porter890
- Van delivery driver828
- Physiotherapist751
- Ward nurse727
- Shop assistant or cashier659
- Hairdresser or beautician505
- Teacher433
- Patrol police officer433
- Driver or lorry driver325
- Office / computer work72
- Call centre agent48
Turn your calories into a meal plan
Build a one-day menu with your real TDEE, the one from your job.
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Frequently asked questions
How many calories does a waiter burn per shift?
A 75 kg waiter burns about 1,000 kcal more in an 8-hour shift than sitting at home for those hours: the same as just over an hour and a half of running at 10 km/h. Their average daily burn is around 3,000 kcal.
Does a standing job count as active?
Yes, quite a lot. Light standing work (till, hairdressing) burns almost twice as much as sitting, and if you also walk or carry things, as in hospitality, nursing or shelf stacking, your activity factor goes from "sedentary" to "active" even without training.
Which jobs burn the most calories?
Over an 8-hour shift, bike couriers, construction, warehouse work and gardening burn the most: 1,200 to 2,000 kcal above sitting for a 75 kg person. Office and call centre work burn the least, under 100.
Do I need to add my workouts?
Yes. This only covers your job and your normal day. If you train, add your workout calories separately, or use the activity level in the calorie calculator closest to your factor and go one level up if you train hard 4 days or more.
Why use the weekly average instead of the workday?
Because your weight responds to what you eat and burn over the week. If you work 5 days, your 2 days off burn quite a bit less, and eating your workday number every day would slowly put weight on. You can eat a bit more on workdays and a bit less on days off, as long as the average adds up.