Your maintenance calories are the calories you eat to hold your weight steady, which is the same as your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Estimate it by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9. A 35-year-old woman at 5′5″ and 165 lb who exercises moderately maintains at about 2,239 kcal per day. Then confirm the estimate with 2–4 weeks of weight data.
Key takeaways
- Maintenance calories equal TDEE: BMR multiplied by an activity factor.
- Calculator results are estimates and can be off by hundreds of calories for an individual.
- The best way to find your true maintenance is to log intake and weight for 2–4 weeks and read the trend.
- Maintenance rises with body weight and activity, and it falls as you lose weight.
How does this maintenance calorie calculator work?
Enter your sex, age, weight, height and activity level. The calculator estimates your BMR with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation (Mifflin et al., 1990) and multiplies it by your activity factor to show your maintenance calories, which is your TDEE. It keeps the goal set to maintain, so the result is the calories to hold your weight. Maintenance calories and TDEE are the same number, so the TDEE calculator on the homepage gives the same result.
maintenance calories = BMR × activity factor activity factors: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 active, 1.9 athlete
Worked example
A 35-year-old woman who is 5′5″ (165 cm) and weighs 165 lb (74.8 kg) has a BMR of 1,444 kcal. Her maintenance calories by activity level are:
| Activity level | Factor | Maintenance calories |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | 1,733 kcal |
| Light | 1.375 | 1,986 kcal |
| Moderate | 1.55 | 2,239 kcal |
| Active | 1.725 | 2,491 kcal |
Most people overestimate their activity, so if you are unsure, pick the lower of two levels.
Maintenance calories by weight
These tables use Mifflin–St Jeor and a moderate activity factor of 1.55. The woman is 35 and 5′5″ (165 cm); the man is 30 and 5′10″ (177.8 cm).
| Body weight | Woman’s maintenance | Man’s maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (49.9 kg) | 1,852 kcal | 2,271 kcal |
| 130 lb (59.0 kg) | 1,993 kcal | 2,412 kcal |
| 150 lb (68.0 kg) | 2,133 kcal | 2,552 kcal |
| 165 lb (74.8 kg) | 2,239 kcal | 2,658 kcal |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 2,344 kcal | 2,763 kcal |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 2,485 kcal | 2,904 kcal |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 2,625 kcal | 3,044 kcal |
| 250 lb (113.4 kg) | 2,836 kcal | 3,255 kcal |
Each added 10 lb (4.5 kg) of body weight raises maintenance by about 70 kcal at moderate activity. Age, height and activity shift the whole column. For a personal number, use the calculator above.
How do I find my maintenance calories for real?
An equation estimates the average person with your profile. To find yours, run a short experiment:
- Eat your estimated maintenance calories as consistently as you can for 2–4 weeks. Weigh your food or log carefully.
- Weigh yourself most mornings and track the trend, not single days. Weight can move a few pounds from water and food volume alone.
- If your trend is flat, that number is your maintenance. If you are gaining or losing, adjust by the weight change: about 3,500 kcal per pound (7,700 kcal per kg) is a planning approximation (Hall et al., 2011).
For example, if your 4-week trend shows you losing 1 lb per week while eating 2,239 kcal, your real maintenance is roughly 2,239 + 500 = 2,739 kcal per day. The adaptive TDEE calculator does this math for you from a log of weight and intake, and the TDEECalc app does it automatically.
Why might my maintenance differ from the estimate?
- Non-exercise activity. How much you fidget, walk and stand varies widely between people (Levine, 2002).
- Activity rating. Picking the wrong factor is the most common error.
- Equation error. Even the best equation is within 10% of measured resting energy for only most, not all, people (Frankenfield et al., 2005).
- Dieting history. After sustained weight loss, expenditure can fall below the level predicted from body size, and how much varies between people (Rosenbaum & Leibel, 2010).
What do I do with my maintenance calories?
They are the anchor for every plan. To lose fat, subtract 10–20% with the calorie deficit calculator. To build muscle, add 5–10%. To split calories into protein, carbs and fat, use the macro calculator. For a deeper look at what goes into the number, see what is TDEE and the BMR calculator.
Do not eat below about 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) calories a day without medical supervision. This page is for adults aged 18 and over, and it isn’t medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my maintenance calories?
Estimate first: BMR × activity factor, which is what the calculator above does. Then confirm: eat that amount consistently for 2–4 weeks and track your weight. If your trend is flat, the estimate is right. If it drifts, adjust by 100–200 kcal and repeat.
How many calories do I need to maintain my weight?
It depends on your size, age, sex and activity. For a moderately active 35-year-old woman at 165 lb and 5′5″ it is about 2,239 kcal; for a 30-year-old man at 190 lb and 5′10″ it is about 2,834 kcal. The tables on this page show other weights.
Are maintenance calories the same as TDEE?
Yes. Maintenance calories are the calories at which your weight stays stable, which is by definition your total daily energy expenditure. See what is TDEE for the components.
How accurate is a maintenance calorie calculator?
It estimates the average for people with your profile. Individuals can differ from it by several hundred calories, mainly because of differences in non-exercise activity and an over- or under-estimated activity level. A weight-trend check is more reliable.
Why am I gaining or losing weight at my calculated maintenance?
Your real maintenance may differ from the estimate, your activity level may be rated too high or too low, or your intake may be under- or over-reported. Water shifts can also hide the trend for a week or two. Track for at least 2–4 weeks before adjusting.
Do maintenance calories change over time?
Yes. They fall as you lose weight and rise as you gain, and they change with activity. After a long diet, expenditure can also run a little below what body size predicts. Recalculate after every 10 lb or so of change.
References
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51(2):241–247.
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 105(5):775–789.
- Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. (2011). Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. The Lancet 378(9793):826–837.
- Rosenbaum M, Leibel RL (2010). Adaptive thermogenesis in humans. International Journal of Obesity 34(Suppl 1):S47–S55.
- Levine JA (2002). Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 16(4):679–702.