Sedentary · 1.2× Multiplier · Mifflin-St Jeor
TDEE Calculator — Sedentary Lifestyle
Pre-set for a sedentary activity level (desk job, little to no exercise). The 1.2× multiplier is applied to your BMR to calculate total daily calorie burn.
What Is a Sedentary TDEE?
A sedentary TDEE uses a 1.2× multiplier applied to your Basal Metabolic Rate. This accounts for the minimal energy expended through everyday non-exercise activity — walking to the MRT, making a coffee, light household tasks — but no structured exercise.
For a typical Singaporean office worker aged 35, this produces a TDEE of roughly 1,800–2,100 kcal/daydepending on weight and height. This is meaningfully lower than the HPB's generic 2,200 kcal recommendation for men, which assumes moderate activity.
Using the correct sedentary multiplier prevents you from inadvertently eating in a surplus. Many people who struggle to lose weight despite “eating healthily” are simply overestimating their activity level.
Calorie Targets for Sedentary Adults
Lose Weight
TDEE − 500 kcal
≈ 0.5 kg/week
Maintain Weight
TDEE
No change
Gain Muscle
TDEE + 250 kcal
Lean bulk
Singapore HPB safety minimums: women should not go below 1,200 kcal/day; men not below 1,500 kcal/day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as sedentary activity level?
Sedentary means little or no planned exercise and a predominantly desk-based lifestyle. This includes office workers who sit for most of the day, those who commute by car or public transport without significant walking, and people who do not engage in regular exercise. In Singapore, the majority of working adults fall into the sedentary or lightly active category due to the prevalence of office-based jobs. If you take fewer than 5,000 steps per day and do not exercise regularly, choose sedentary.
How can a sedentary person start losing weight?
Start by calculating your TDEE using the 1.2× sedentary multiplier, then subtract 300–500 calories to create a sustainable deficit. For a sedentary 70 kg Singaporean man, TDEE is approximately 1,900–2,000 kcal/day — a 500 kcal deficit means eating around 1,400–1,500 kcal. Increasing daily steps to 8,000–10,000 gradually raises your activity multiplier, allowing you to eat more while still losing weight. Singapore HPB recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week as a starting goal.