Maintenance Calorie Calculator – Find Your Daily Calorie Needs

🔥 Maintenance Calorie Calculator

Introduction

Maintenance calories are the number of calories your body burns each day to stay at your current weight. This includes your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), physical activity, and digestion. Use the calculator below to get your personalized daily calorie needs and plan your nutrition accordingly.

Table of Contents

What Are Maintenance Calories?

Maintenance calories are the total number of calories your body requires in a day to maintain its current weight. This number includes:

BMR – Calories burned at rest for vital functions
Physical activity – Exercise and daily movement
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) – Energy used to digest food

If you eat more than this number, you’ll likely gain weight. Eat less, and you’ll lose weight. Knowing your maintenance level gives you a reliable baseline for bulking, cutting, or maintaining your physique.

How This Maintenance Calorie Calculator Works

This tool uses the science-backed Mifflin-St Jeor formula to estimate your BMR:

Men: 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women: 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

Then it multiplies your BMR by an activity level multiplier to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — your true maintenance calorie level. You can optionally include your body fat percentage for more precision.

Select Your Activity Level

Choose the activity multiplier that best represents your typical week:

Activity Level	Description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Little/no exercise	×1.2
Lightly Active	1–3 days/week	×1.375
Moderately Active	3–5 days/week	×1.55
Very Active	6–7 days/week	×1.725
Extra Active	Hard training/manual labor	×1.9

Example: Maintenance Calorie Calculation

Profile: 35-year-old female, 65 kg, 165 cm, moderately active

Step 1 – BMR:
10 × 65 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 35 − 161 = 1,351.25 kcal

Step 2 – TDEE:
1,351.25 × 1.55 = ~2,094 kcal/day

This is the estimated number of calories she needs daily to maintain her current weight and energy levels.

When Should You Use This Calculator?

To stabilize your weight after dieting
Before beginning a cutting or bulking phase
To reset metabolism after long-term restriction
To monitor energy levels and body composition

This tool is ideal for athletes, dieters, and anyone optimizing body composition.

It’s Not Just About Numbers — Calorie Quality Matters

Calories from whole, nutrient-dense foods fuel the body better than processed alternatives. Even at equal calorie counts, whole foods support better digestion, hormone function, and satiety.

🍗 Protein & fiber = better fullness
🥑 Healthy fats = hormone balance
🍎 Whole foods = more micronutrients, fewer cravings

Advanced Tip: Try Zigzag Maintenance Calories

Zigzag calorie cycling helps prevent metabolic adaptation and improves diet flexibility. Example:

Mon/Tue: 2,200 kcal
Wed/Thu/Fri: 1,900 kcal
Weekend: 2,100 kcal

Average: ~2,000 kcal/day — same as flat maintenance but with more metabolic variety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How accurate is this calculator?

A: It uses evidence-based BMR formulas (like Mifflin-St Jeor), but personal differences may require fine-tuning through tracking.

Q: Do I include exercise in my maintenance?

A: Yes. The TDEE estimate already includes your selected activity multiplier to reflect training.

Q: When should I recalculate?

A: Every 4–6 weeks, or if you change your weight, activity level, or goal substantially.

Reviewed by a Registered Dietitian

Sarah Leigh, RD, MPH
Certified in Metabolic Health and Clinical Nutrition, with over a decade of experience.

Disclaimer: This calculator provides general nutrition guidance and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for tailored plans.

Take Control of Your Calorie Strategy

🎯 Use our Maintenance Calorie Calculator to determine your exact daily energy needs. Whether you’re maintaining, cutting, or gaining — it starts with the right number.

👉 Calculate Now