You burn more calories on your feet than resting in a chair, which is why the American Council on Exercise recommends standing -- instead of sitting -- whenever possible to increase your daily calorie burn. Standing quietly, a 150-pound person burns about 114 calories per hour, or 912 calories in eight hours.
Activity Level
If you perform physical activities as you stand, you'll burn more calories than you will standing still. For example, a 150-pound person burns 147 calories per hour -- or 1,176 calories in eight hours -- standing while performing desk work, which is 33 more calories per hour than standing quietly. Light work or not, however, standing does not replace exercise. For proper physical fitness, you still need to perform aerobic activities such as cycling or jogging, as well as strength-training activities such as lifting weights or doing sit-ups and squats.