Maintenance Calories Calculator
Calculate a starting calorie intake intended to keep your weight stable, then calibrate it with your own multi-week trend.
Calculate Maintenance Calories
Medical Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only—not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional.
How this is calculated
Formula: Mifflin-St Jeor BMR × lifestyle activity multiplier
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates the calories your body uses at rest from your age, sex, height, and weight.
An activity multiplier adds energy used through work, walking, chores, digestion, and planned exercise. The resulting TDEE is your estimated maintenance intake.
True maintenance is a range rather than one exact number. If average body weight stays broadly stable for two to four weeks, your average intake is likely close to maintenance.
How to interpret a maintenance trial
| Weight trend | Likely meaning | Possible adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | Near maintenance | Keep calories similar and monitor |
| Slowly decreasing | Small deficit | Add roughly 100–200 kcal if stability is the goal |
| Slowly increasing | Small surplus | Reduce roughly 100–200 kcal if unintended |
Confirm your maintenance range
Run a consistent maintenance trial instead of changing calories after every scale fluctuation.
Tips
- •Keep intake and activity reasonably consistent for at least 14 days.
- •Weigh under similar conditions and compare weekly averages.
- •Account for travel, sodium, menstrual-cycle changes, and unusually hard training.
- •Re-estimate when body weight or regular activity changes substantially.
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Frequently asked questions
In practical planning, yes. TDEE is total daily energy expenditure, and eating approximately that amount should maintain weight over time.
This calculator offers a general educational estimate and does not replace medical advice. A doctor or registered dietitian can provide individualized energy guidance if you are pregnant, under 18, recovering from an eating disorder, managing a health condition, or taking medication.
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Pair this calculator with related tools for a complete plan.