Maintenance Calorie Calculator
The calories that hold your weight steady — with the range the estimate really spans, and how it shifts as your weight changes.
Maintenance is total daily energy expenditure: basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor.
How the maintenance calorie calculator works
Maintenance is total daily energy expenditure: basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. This uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the most accurate of the common predictive formulas.
Even so, individual variation is around ±10%, so the range matters more than the point estimate. The honest way to find your own figure is to eat a fixed amount for two or three weeks and watch the scale trend.
Formula: TDEE = BMR × activity factor
Worked examples
| Inputs | Maintenance calories | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 35, male, 175 cm, 75 kg, moderate | 2,594 kcal | about 2,660 kcal |
| Sedentary instead | 2,009 kcal | about 2,060 |
| Female | 2,039 kcal | about 2,060 |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What are maintenance calories?
The amount that holds your weight steady — your total daily energy expenditure.
How accurate is the estimate?
Within about ±10% for most people, which is why the range is shown. Individual metabolic variation is real and substantial.
How do I find my actual figure?
Eat a consistent amount for two to three weeks and track weight. If it holds steady, that is your maintenance — no formula beats measurement.
Why do maintenance calories fall as I lose weight?
Because a smaller body costs less to run, and there is an additional adaptive reduction beyond the mass change. Recalculate every 5 kg or so.
Which formula is best?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate of the common predictive equations for the general population. Katch-McArdle is better if you know your body fat percentage.
Where these figures come from
- Mifflin MD et al., "A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals", Am J Clin Nutr 1990 — the BMR equation used here
- World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (2008 expert consultation) — waist-to-hip cut-offs
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001 — 208 − 0.7 × age
- Nathan DM et al., "Translating the A1C assay into estimated average glucose values" (ADAG), Diabetes Care 2008 — eAG = 28.7 × A1c − 46.7
- Mosteller RD, "Simplified calculation of body-surface area", N Engl J Med 1987 — BSA = √(height × weight / 3600)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — national health guidance
Last checked: September 2026. The equations are fixed by their published papers and do not change with tax years or regulations; the thresholds quoted in verdicts name the body that set them.