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CalcRiver

Maintenance Calories Calculator

Calculate exactly how many calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. This daily maintenance calorie calculator uses your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) to help you plan your diet effectively.

What is Maintenance Calories?

Your maintenance calories is the total number of calories your body burns in a day to perform basic functions (like breathing and digestion) plus all your physical movement (exercise, walking, working).

This number is technically known as your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). If you eat exactly this amount of daily calories to stay the same weight, your weight will remain stable.

How to Calculate Maintenance Calories

Our calculator uses a two-step process to determine your needs:

  1. BMR Calculation: First, we calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This is the energy needed just to keep you alive at rest.
  2. Activity Factor: We then multiply your BMR by an activity factor (ranging from 1.2 to 1.9) based on how active your lifestyle is.

Maintenance Calorie Intake Factors

Several variables influence your maintenance calorie intake:

  • Body Composition: Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. A more muscular person will have a higher maintenance level.
  • Age: As you get older, your metabolism generally slows down, reducing your calorie needs.
  • Gender: Men typically have higher maintenance calories than women due to larger body size and muscle mass.
  • NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (fidgeting, walking, standing) plays a huge role in your daily burn.

Calories to Maintain Weight vs. Weight Loss

Once you know your maintenance level, you can manipulate your weight:

  • To Lose Weight: Create a caloric deficit by eating 500 calories less than your maintenance number daily. This typically results in 1 lb of weight loss per week.
  • To Gain Weight: Create a surplus by eating 500 calories more than maintenance. Ideally, combine this with resistance training to gain muscle rather than just fat.

Need more details on your base metabolism? Check out our Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator or assess your health with our BMI Calculator.

? Frequently Asked Questions

This tool uses the industry-standard Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered one of the most accurate formulas. However, individual metabolism varies, so use this as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results.

Yes! As you lose weight, your body requires less energy to move and function. You should recalculate your maintenance calories for every 10-15 lbs of weight change.

Yes, the activity level multiplier accounts for your exercise. You generally do not need to 'eat back' calories burned from workouts if you selected the correct activity level.

This means your actual TDEE is lower than estimated. This could be due to overestimating activity levels or metabolic adaptation. Try reducing your intake by 100-200 calories.