Maintenance Calorie Calculator
Find the daily calorie target that holds your weight steady. Built on the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, with a flexible macro split you can live on for years.
Your Stats
Enter your stats to see your TDEE and macro targets.
What Are Maintenance Calories?
Your maintenance calories are the number of calories you need to eat each day to keep your body weight stable. They are the same number as your TDEE. Eating at maintenance is the foundation of long term body composition, hormone health, and a sane relationship with food.
Most adults land between 1,800 and 3,000 calories at maintenance. The number depends on size, age, training, and how much you move outside the gym.
- • Average for women: 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day
- • Average for men: 2,200 to 3,000 calories per day
- • Use case: Reset between cuts and bulks, or eat for life
- • Macro flex: Any split you enjoy and can sustain
How We Calculate Your Maintenance Calories
We use Mifflin-St Jeor for BMR, multiply by your activity level for TDEE, then return that exact number as your maintenance target. No deficit, no surplus.
Calculate BMR
10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women.
Apply Activity Multiplier
1.2 sedentary, up to 1.9 very active. The multiplier covers everything you do besides resting.
Verify with a 14 Day Test
Eat at the calculated number for 2 weeks and watch a 7 day weight average. Adjust by 100 to 150 calories if needed.
Factors That Shape Your Maintenance
Maintenance is a moving target. These are the levers that nudge it up or down through life.
Body Weight and Lean Mass
Bigger bodies and more muscle mean a higher maintenance level. Both are direct levers.
Daily Steps and NEAT
Walking, fidgeting, standing, and chores can swing maintenance by 300 to 600 calories per day.
Training Volume
Lifting and cardio raise the number. Skipping training drops it within a few weeks.
Protein Intake
Protein has the highest thermic effect of food, around 25 percent. High protein diets nudge maintenance up.
Diet History
Years of crash dieting can leave maintenance running 10 to 20 percent below the formula. Patient eating brings it back.
Sleep and Stress
Bad sleep cuts NEAT and lowers maintenance without you noticing. The cheapest fix in fitness.
Tips for Eating at Maintenance
- 1
Run a 14 Day Test
Eat at the calculator number for 2 weeks. The scale tells the truth about your real maintenance.
- 2
Track 7 Day Weight Averages
Daily weight swings 1 to 4 pounds. Weekly averages reveal the trend that matters.
- 3
Hit Protein Every Day
1.6 to 2.2 g per kg supports lean mass even at maintenance and keeps hunger predictable.
- 4
Keep Training
Maintenance does not mean coasting. Steady training holds the muscle that keeps your TDEE high.
- 5
Use Maintenance Between Phases
After a cut or bulk, eat at maintenance for 4 to 8 weeks. Hormones, hunger, and training quality reset.
- 6
Recalculate Every 4 to 6 Weeks
Body weight, training, and life change. So does maintenance. Update the number on a regular cycle.
Maintenance Calorie Calculator FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people ask most.