How restricted movement affects calorie needs
Total daily energy expenditure has three main components: BMR (60–70%), the thermic effect of food (~10%), and physical activity (20–30%). During periods of restricted movement, the physical activity component drops substantially, potentially reducing total needs by 300–700 kcal/day depending on how active you normally are.
If you continue eating at your normal maintenance level during a sedentary period, the resulting calorie surplus typically leads to gradual weight gain — roughly 0.5–1 kg over several weeks of typical restriction. Adjusting intake or finding low-impact activity options (standing, light walking, home exercises) helps mitigate this.