Maintenance Calorie Calculator
The daily calorie level that holds your weight steady — your baseline before any cut or bulk.
Your details
Eat around this to hold your current weight.
How this is calculated
Maintenance calories = TDEE. We estimate BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiply by your activity factor (1.2–1.9).
To verify: eat at this number for 14–21 days, weigh daily, and average the weekly readings. If the trend is flat, you've found your true maintenance. If it drifts, nudge by ±100 kcal.
Frequently asked
What are maintenance calories?+
Maintenance calories are the daily calorie intake that holds your body weight steady over weeks — no gain, no loss. It's equal to your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
How do I find my maintenance calories?+
Estimate TDEE using an equation like Mifflin-St Jeor, then eat at that level for 2–3 weeks while tracking weight daily. If weight is stable, that's your maintenance. Adjust ±100 kcal as needed.
Do maintenance calories change with age?+
Yes. BMR drops about 1–2% per decade after age 20, mostly from lost muscle. Staying active and protein-adequate slows the decline considerably.
Related tools
References
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241–247.
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575–1581.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. National Academies Press, 2005.
Educational estimates only, not medical advice. Individual needs vary — consult a physician or registered dietitian.