Compendium category · 27 activities
Inactivity
All 27 inactivity activities in the Compendium, ranked by energy cost. The hardest is roofing at 441 kcal an hour; the middle of the pack sits near 147.
| # | Activity | MET | 30 min | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roofing | 6 | 221 | 441 |
| 2 | Spreading dirt with a shovel | 5 | 184 | 368 |
| 3 | Painting | 4.5 | 165 | 331 |
| 4 | Sanding floors with a power sander | 4.5 | 165 | 331 |
| 5 | Scraping and painting sailboat or powerboat | 4.5 | 165 | 331 |
| 6 | Washing and waxing hull of sailboat or… | 4.5 | 165 | 331 |
| 7 | Washing fence | 4.5 | 165 | 331 |
| 8 | Painting inside house | 3.3 | 121 | 243 |
| 9 | Wiring | 3.3 | 121 | 243 |
| 10 | Plumbing | 3 | 110 | 221 |
| 11 | Put on and removal of tarp – sailboat | 3 | 110 | 221 |
| 12 | Repairing appliances | 3 | 110 | 221 |
| 13 | Sharpening tools | 2 | 74 | 147 |
| 14 | Washing and waxing car | 2 | 74 | 147 |
| 15 | Sitting, fidget feet | 1.8 | 66 | 132 |
| 16 | Sitting, listening to music or watching a… | 1.5 | 55 | 110 |
| 17 | Standing | 1.5 | 55 | 110 |
| 18 | Reclining | 1.3 | 48 | 96 |
| 19 | Sitting at a desk | 1.3 | 48 | 96 |
| 20 | Sitting smoking | 1.3 | 48 | 96 |
| 21 | Standing quietly | 1.3 | 48 | 96 |
| 22 | Standing watching television | 1.3 | 48 | 96 |
| 23 | Sitting quietly | 1.25 | 46 | 92 |
| 24 | Lying quietly | 1 | 37 | 74 |
| 25 | Lying quietly and watching television | 1 | 37 | 74 |
| 26 | Meditating | 1 | 37 | 74 |
| 27 | Sleeping | 1 | 37 | 74 |
Kilocalories for a 70 kg adult. Click any activity for the full weight and intensity breakdown.
SOURCE·2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Other categories
Bicycling 5Conditioning Exercise 53Dancing 19Fishing & Hunting 10Home Activities 58Home Repair 26Lawn & Garden 34Miscellaneous 26Music Playing 20Occupation 72Religious Activities 19Running 11Self Care 5Sports 91Transportation 11Video Games 4Volunteer Activities 12Walking 28Water Activities 29Winter Activities 14
