Maintenance Calorie Calculator

What Is the Maintenance Calorie Calculator?

The Maintenance Calorie Calculator is a free, web-based tool that estimates how many calories you need to consume each day to maintain your current body weight. You enter your gender, age, height, weight, and physical activity level, and the calculator returns your estimated daily maintenance calorie target.

It also shows your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and suggests calorie targets for mild weight loss and muscle building.

This tool uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the predictive formula that dietitians and researchers consider the most accurate method for estimating resting energy expenditure in healthy adults.

The result is an estimate based on population-level data, not a clinical measurement. Your actual maintenance level may differ by 10 to 15 percent depending on individual factors such as body composition, hormones, and medical history.

The tool is completely free. No account, no email address, and no payment is required. We do not collect or store any information you enter. All calculations happen locally in your browser.

Who Should Use This Calculator?

This calculator is designed for healthy adults aged 15 to 100. It is useful for anyone who wants to understand their daily energy needs, plan a calorie deficit for weight loss, plan a calorie surplus for muscle gain, or confirm whether their current diet is at, above, or below their maintenance level.

This tool does not replace individualized advice from a licensed physician, registered dietitian, or other healthcare professional. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are planning a significant change to your diet, consult a qualified healthcare provider before acting on these results.

What Does the Calculator Show You?

After you click Calculate, the results dashboard displays your maintenance calories — the daily calorie target to keep your weight stable.

It also shows a Mild Weight Loss target (maintenance minus 500 Cal/day, approximately 1 lb of weight loss per week) and a Weight Gain / Muscle Building target (maintenance plus 500 Cal/day, a moderate surplus to support muscle growth). Below those, you will find your estimated BMR and a suggested macronutrient split at your maintenance level.

What Are Maintenance Calories?

Maintenance calories are the total number of calories your body burns in one day. Scientists call this your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE. When you eat exactly this number of calories each day, your body weight stays stable over time.

Eat more than your TDEE, and your body stores the extra energy as body fat, causing weight gain. Eat less than your TDEE, and your body draws on stored energy to make up the shortfall, causing weight loss.

Your body uses energy for two broad categories of activity. The first is resting energy expenditure — the calories your body burns to stay alive with no movement at all. This includes breathing, pumping blood, maintaining body temperature, repairing cells, and running your organs. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

The second category is activity energy expenditure — the calories you burn through all physical movement, from formal exercise to fidgeting and walking around the house. Your maintenance calories are the sum of both.

For most adults who do not exercise regularly, BMR accounts for 60 to 70 percent of total daily calorie burn. This is why two people of similar body weight can have very different maintenance calorie needs if they differ significantly in activity level.

The Simple Definition

Think of your maintenance calories as your body's daily break-even point. Consistently eat at your maintenance level and your weight will not change.

The term TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is the scientific name for this same value. You may also hear maintenance calories described as your calorie maintenance level, maintenance kcal, or caloric maintenance. All of these terms describe the same number: the calories you need each day to stay at your current weight.

Maintenance calories are not the same as BMR. Your BMR is a smaller number — it only represents what your body burns at complete rest.

Your maintenance calories (TDEE) are always higher than your BMR because they include all the energy you spend moving through your day. The difference between the two depends entirely on how active you are.

Why Maintenance Calories Matter for Your Weight

Knowing your maintenance calories gives you a reliable, data-driven reference point for managing your weight. Without it, adjusting your diet is guesswork. With it, you can set deliberate and informed calorie targets.

To lose weight, reduce your daily intake below your maintenance level, creating a calorie deficit. To gain weight or build muscle, increase your intake above your maintenance level, creating a calorie surplus. To stay at your current weight, match your intake to your maintenance level as closely as possible over time.

Research supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) confirms that calorie balance — the relationship between calories consumed and calories burned — is the primary driver of body weight change. The NIDDK Body Weight Planner uses similar energy-balance principles to model weight change over time.

How to Calculate Your Maintenance Calories

Calculating your maintenance calories is a two-step process. First, you estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at complete rest. Second, you multiply your BMR by an activity factor that reflects how much you move each day. The result is your TDEE, which is your estimated maintenance calorie level.

Step 1 — Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR is the foundation of the entire calculation. It represents the minimum calories your body needs each day to sustain basic life functions: breathing, blood circulation, cell production, temperature regulation, and organ function. You would burn these calories even if you stayed completely still in bed all day without eating or moving.

BMR depends primarily on your body size, age, and biological sex. Larger bodies require more energy to maintain. Younger adults tend to have higher BMRs than older adults of the same size.

Men typically have higher BMRs than women of the same weight because men carry, on average, a higher proportion of metabolically active muscle tissue.

Step 2 — Apply Your Activity Multiplier (TDEE)

Once you have your BMR, multiply it by a Physical Activity Level (PAL) factor. This number captures the energy you spend through all movement during the day — including formal exercise, walking, standing, and even small fidgeting movements.

The PAL factor ranges from 1.2 for those who are completely sedentary to 1.9 for those performing intense physical labor or exercise every day.

The Mifflin-St Jeor Formula (What This Calculator Uses)

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1990. A validation study by Frankenfield and colleagues found it to be the most accurate commonly used BMR formula for healthy adults. The formulas are:

• For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) + 5
• For women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) − 161

Multiply your BMR by the activity factor below to obtain your TDEE (maintenance calories):

Activity Multipliers Used in the Mifflin-St Jeor TDEE Calculation

Activity Level	Description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Little or no exercise; desk job	1.2
Lightly Active	Light exercise 1–3 days per week	1.375
Moderately Active	Moderate exercise 3–5 days per week	1.55
Active	Hard exercise 6–7 days per week	1.725
Very Active	Intense daily exercise or physical job	1.9

The Harris-Benedict Formula (Older Alternative)

The Harris-Benedict equation, first published in 1919 and revised in 1984, was the gold standard for BMR estimation for decades. The revised formulas are:

• For men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × kg) + (4.799 × cm) − (5.677 × age)
• For women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × kg) + (3.098 × cm) − (4.330 × age)

Research shows the Harris-Benedict formula tends to overestimate BMR slightly, particularly for individuals with higher body fat percentages. That is why this calculator uses the more accurate Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

BMR vs. TDEE — What Is the Difference?

BMR is what your body burns at absolute rest — no movement whatsoever. TDEE (your maintenance calories) is what your body burns when you account for all daily activity.

For a sedentary person, TDEE is roughly 20 percent higher than BMR. For a very active person, TDEE can be nearly double the BMR. The activity multiplier is what bridges the two numbers.

How to Use This Maintenance Calorie Calculator

The calculator at the top of this page is designed to be fast and simple. Enter your information and click Calculate — your personalized results appear instantly. No account or sign-up is required.

What Inputs the Calculator Needs

• Gender: Select Male or Female. Biological sex affects BMR because men and women differ in average body composition, specifically in the ratio of muscle to fat tissue.
• Age: Enter your age in whole years. The calculator accepts ages from 15 to 100.
• Height: Enter your height in feet and inches (the default) or switch to centimeters using the unit toggle button next to the field.
• Weight: Enter your weight in pounds (the default) or switch to kilograms using the unit toggle button.
• Activity Level: Choose the description that best matches your typical week of physical activity, including both structured exercise and general daily movement.

Understanding Your Results

After you click Calculate, the results dashboard displays three calorie targets. Your Maintenance Calories is the daily calorie level to keep your weight stable.

The Mild Weight Loss target is maintenance minus 500 Cal/day — approximately 1 lb of weight loss per week. The Weight Gain / Muscle Building target is maintenance plus 500 Cal/day, a moderate surplus to support muscle growth when combined with resistance training. The dashboard also shows your BMR and a suggested macronutrient breakdown at your maintenance level.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough — Male Example

Consider a 30-year-old man who is 5 feet 10 inches (177.8 cm) tall and weighs 160 pounds (72.6 kg). He works at a desk and goes to the gym three to four times per week. He selects Moderately Active.

The calculator applies the Mifflin-St Jeor formula for men:

BMR = (10 × 72.6) + (6.25 × 177.8) − (5 × 30) + 5 = 726 + 1,111.25 − 150 + 5 = 1,692 Cal

Multiplied by the Moderately Active factor (1.55): TDEE = 1,692 × 1.55 = approximately 2,623 Cal/day

His maintenance level is approximately 2,623 calories per day. To lose about 1 lb per week, he would target 2,123 Cal/day. To build muscle, he would target 3,123 Cal/day.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough — Female Example

Now consider a 28-year-old woman who is 5 feet 5 inches (165.1 cm) tall and weighs 140 pounds (63.5 kg). She works from home and takes two or three short walks per week. She selects Lightly Active.

BMR for women = (10 × 63.5) + (6.25 × 165.1) − (5 × 28) − 161 = 635 + 1,031.88 − 140 − 161 = 1,366 Cal

TDEE = 1,366 × 1.375 = approximately 1,878 Cal/day

Her maintenance level is approximately 1,878 calories per day. Eating 500 fewer calories per day — targeting 1,378 Cal/day — would produce a gradual weight loss of approximately 1 lb per week. To build muscle with strength training, she would target 2,378 Cal/day.

Maintenance Calories by Weight — Common Reference Points

Many people search for maintenance calorie estimates based on their current body weight. The values below are typical estimates calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

They assume a height of 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) for men and 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) for women, and an age of 30 years. These are reference points only — use the calculator above with your exact measurements for a personalized result.

Maintenance Calories for a 160 lb Person

A moderately active 30-year-old man at 160 lb and 5 ft 10 in has an estimated maintenance level of approximately 2,623 calories per day. A moderately active 28-year-old woman at 160 lb and 5 ft 5 in has an estimated maintenance level of approximately 2,308 calories per day. The difference between individuals of the same weight is significant — gender, height, and age all play a role.

Maintenance Calories for a 180 lb Person

A moderately active 30-year-old man at 180 lb and 5 ft 11 in has an estimated maintenance level of approximately 2,780 calories per day. A moderately active 28-year-old woman at 180 lb and 5 ft 6 in estimates approximately 2,465 calories per day. At a sedentary activity level, both figures drop by approximately 350 to 400 calories per day.

Maintenance Calories for a 150 lb Woman

A moderately active 28-year-old woman at 150 lb and 5 ft 5 in has an estimated maintenance level of approximately 2,153 calories per day. If she is lightly active, her maintenance level drops to approximately 1,914 calories per day. These figures will be lower for older women and higher for taller women of the same weight.

Maintenance Calories Chart by Weight and Activity Level

Estimated Maintenance Calories by Weight and Activity Level — Adults, Age 30 (Men: 5 ft 10 in • Women: 5 ft 5 in)

Weight	Male — Sedentary	Male — Moderate	Male — Active	Female — Sedentary	Female — Moderate	Female — Active
130 lb (59 kg)	1,720	2,226	2,480	1,487	1,923	2,143
150 lb (68 kg)	1,857	2,403	2,677	1,617	2,091	2,329
160 lb (73 kg)	1,929	2,495	2,779	1,682	2,176	2,424
180 lb (82 kg)	2,065	2,671	2,977	1,812	2,344	2,611
200 lb (91 kg)	2,197	2,842	3,165	1,940	2,510	2,795
220 lb (100 kg)	2,328	3,012	3,354	2,067	2,674	2,979
250 lb (113 kg)	2,524	3,265	3,637	2,257	2,919	3,251

These are population-level estimates. Individual results vary. Track your actual intake and weight for two to four weeks to confirm your personal maintenance level.

Activity Level Explained

Selecting the correct activity level is one of the most important — and most commonly misjudged — parts of using a maintenance calorie calculator. Most people overestimate how active they are.

Choosing an activity level that is one step too high can cause the calculator to overestimate your maintenance calories by 200 to 400 calories per day, which is enough to prevent weight loss entirely.

Sedentary (Multiplier: 1.2)

You sit for most of the day. Your job involves little physical movement. You do little to no structured exercise.

Examples include office workers, software developers, and students who spend the majority of their day seated. If your average daily step count is below 5,000 steps, you are most likely in this category.

Lightly Active (Multiplier: 1.375)

You exercise lightly or participate in recreational activity one to three days per week. Examples include taking two or three 30-minute walks per week, doing light yoga twice a week, or occasional recreational sports. Your typical daily step count is between 5,000 and 7,500 steps.

Moderately Active (Multiplier: 1.55)

You exercise at a moderate intensity three to five days per week. Examples include jogging three times a week, attending group fitness classes four times a week, or cycling regularly.

Your daily step count is typically between 7,500 and 10,000 steps. Most people who exercise regularly and have a desk job fall into this category — not the Active category.

Active (Multiplier: 1.725)

You perform hard exercise or sports six to seven days per week without exception. Examples include competitive amateur athletes, people training for endurance events, or those completing structured strength training six days a week at high intensity. This level is reserved for people whose exercise schedule is consistent and demanding.

Very Active (Multiplier: 1.9)

You perform intense daily exercise and may also have a physically demanding job. Examples include professional athletes in-season, construction workers who also train at the gym, and military personnel in active duty with daily physical training requirements.

If only your job or only your exercise is demanding — not both — you likely do not belong in this category.

Which Activity Level Should You Choose?

Base your choice on your average week over the past month, not your best week or your ideal plan. If you are uncertain between two levels, choose the lower one first. Track your weight for two to four weeks at the resulting calorie target.

If your weight is not responding as expected, adjust upward by one level and observe again. This trial-and-correction approach is more reliable than trying to perfectly classify your activity level from the start.

What Affects Your Maintenance Calories?

Several biological and lifestyle factors determine how many calories your body burns each day. Understanding these factors helps you interpret the calculator results and explains why two people who weigh exactly the same can have very different maintenance calorie needs.

Age

Metabolic rate tends to decline with age. Research published in the journal Science (Pontzer et al., 2021) found that total energy expenditure is relatively stable from age 20 to 60, then declines by roughly 0.7 percent per year after age 60.

However, much of the metabolic decline attributed to aging is actually due to reductions in muscle mass over time. Maintaining muscle through regular resistance training can help preserve your metabolic rate as you grow older.

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula accounts for age directly — older users will see a lower BMR than younger users of the same size and sex.

Biological Sex

Men generally have higher BMRs than women of the same height and weight. This is primarily because men, on average, carry more muscle mass and less body fat than women of equivalent body weight.

Skeletal muscle tissue burns significantly more calories at rest than fat tissue does. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula accounts for this difference by adding 5 to the men's result and subtracting 161 from the women's result.

Height and Body Size

Larger bodies have more tissue to maintain and therefore burn more energy at rest. Both height and weight contribute positively to BMR in the formula.

A taller person and a shorter person who weigh the same will have different BMRs — the taller person burns more calories at rest because their body surface area is greater and they generally carry more lean tissue overall.

Muscle Mass vs. Body Fat

Skeletal muscle burns approximately 13 calories per kilogram per day at rest. Body fat burns roughly 4.5 calories per kilogram per day. Two people of the same body weight but different body compositions will have different maintenance calorie levels.

A person with more muscle burns more calories at rest than a person of the same weight who carries more fat.

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula uses total body weight as a proxy for composition, so it may slightly underestimate TDEE for very muscular individuals and overestimate it for those with very high body fat percentages.

Hormones and Medical Conditions

Thyroid hormones have a major influence on metabolic rate. An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) reduces BMR, sometimes significantly, while an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) increases it.

Other conditions that can affect metabolism include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Cushing's syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Certain medications — including corticosteroids and some beta-blockers — can also suppress or elevate metabolic rate.

If you have a diagnosed metabolic condition, the calculator results are a starting reference point only. Consult your healthcare provider for individualized guidance.

Using Maintenance Calories to Reach Your Goals

Your maintenance calorie number is your starting reference point. Once you know it, you can build a calorie strategy that aligns with your specific goal — whether that is to maintain your current weight, lose weight, or build muscle and gain weight. Each goal requires a different calorie target relative to your maintenance level.

Eating at Maintenance to Maintain Your Current Weight

If your goal is to keep your current weight stable, eat as close to your calculated maintenance calories as possible over the long term. Day-to-day variation is normal — some days you will eat slightly more and others slightly less.

What matters is your weekly average. A consistent pattern of eating at or near your maintenance level over weeks and months will stabilize your body weight.

Creating a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss

To lose body weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body burns each day. This creates a calorie deficit, and your body responds by drawing on stored energy — primarily body fat — to make up the shortfall. The size of your deficit determines how quickly you lose weight.

A deficit of 250 to 500 calories per day is appropriate for most healthy adults. This corresponds to approximately 0.5 to 1 pound (0.23 to 0.45 kg) of weight loss per week.

Deficits greater than 1,000 calories per day increase the risk of muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and poor adherence. A steady, moderate deficit produces better long-term outcomes than aggressive short-term restriction.

Creating a Calorie Surplus for Muscle Building

To build muscle, your body needs a positive energy balance — more calories consumed than burned.

A moderate surplus of 250 to 500 calories per day above maintenance provides the energy needed to synthesize new muscle tissue, particularly when combined with consistent resistance training.

A surplus that is too large results in excess fat gain alongside any muscle built. Many experienced lifters prefer smaller surpluses of 200 to 300 Cal/day for slower, leaner muscle gain.

The 500-Calorie Deficit — Mild Weight Loss Approach

The calculator shows a Mild Weight Loss target equal to your maintenance calories minus 500 Cal/day. This widely cited benchmark is based on the approximate energy content of one pound of body fat (roughly 3,500 calories). A daily deficit of 500 calories creates a weekly shortfall of 3,500 calories — theoretically corresponding to one pound of weight loss per week.

In practice, weight loss is not perfectly linear. As your weight decreases, your maintenance calorie level also decreases because a smaller body burns fewer calories. Recalculate your maintenance calories periodically — especially after losing 10 or more pounds — to keep your calorie target accurate and avoid hitting a plateau.

How Accurate Are These Estimates?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts BMR within 10 percent of laboratory-measured values for approximately 82 percent of healthy adults. Your true maintenance may be 10 to 15 percent higher or lower than the calculated figure.

The most reliable method is to track your food intake carefully for two to four weeks while your weight remains stable. Your average calorie intake during that stable-weight period is your practical maintenance level — more accurate than any formula.

Macronutrient Split at Maintenance

Total calorie intake tells you how much to eat. Macronutrients — protein, fat, and carbohydrates — describe what you eat. Each plays a distinct role in your body, and their proportions influence body composition, energy, and health outcomes independently of total calorie intake.

Why Macros Matter at Maintenance

Two people can eat the same number of calories and experience different body composition results if their macronutrient distributions differ significantly.

Protein in particular plays an important role in preserving and building muscle mass — especially when calorie intake is at or below maintenance.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 recommend that adults get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein, 20 to 35 percent from fat, and 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates.

Protein (30%)

Protein is the primary building material for muscle, skin, enzymes, and hormones. The calculator suggests allocating 30 percent of maintenance calories to protein.

At a maintenance level of 2,500 Cal/day, that is 750 protein calories — approximately 188 grams of protein (4 calories per gram).

For adults engaged in regular physical activity, a protein intake of 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day supports muscle maintenance and recovery. Good sources include lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and tofu.

Fat (30%)

Fat is essential for hormone production, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), brain health, and cell membrane integrity. The calculator allocates 30 percent of maintenance calories to fat.

At 2,500 Cal/day, this equals 750 fat calories — approximately 83 grams of fat (9 calories per gram). Prioritize unsaturated fat sources such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines.

Carbohydrates (40%)

Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source for the brain and for high-intensity physical activity. The calculator allocates 40 percent of maintenance calories to carbohydrates.

At 2,500 Cal/day, that is 1,000 carbohydrate calories — approximately 250 grams of carbohydrates (4 calories per gram). Choose complex carbohydrates from whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, which supply fiber, vitamins, and minerals alongside energy.

Adjusting Your Macro Split

The 30/30/40 split is a general-purpose starting point for most healthy adults. Those focused on strength training may benefit from a higher protein allocation — 35 to 40 percent of calories. Those following a lower-carbohydrate approach may reduce carbohydrates to 20 to 25 percent and increase fat proportionally.

Anyone managing a specific health condition — including diabetes, kidney disease, or cardiovascular disease — should work with a registered dietitian to determine an appropriate macronutrient distribution.

Common Mistakes When Estimating Maintenance Calories

Even with an accurate formula, people frequently make errors when using a maintenance calorie calculator. Recognizing these mistakes will help you get more accurate results and avoid the frustration of working toward a goal without seeing progress.

Overestimating Activity Level

This is the single most common error. People tend to classify themselves as Moderately Active when they are actually Sedentary or Lightly Active. If you have a desk job and exercise three to four times per week, you are likely Lightly Active — not Moderately Active.

Overestimating your activity level by one step can cause you to overestimate your maintenance calories by 200 to 400 calories per day. At that rate of error, a person trying to lose weight may actually be eating at or above their true maintenance, preventing any progress.

Ignoring Non-Exercise Activity (NEAT)

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to all calories burned through movement that is not formal exercise — walking, standing, fidgeting, doing household chores, and taking stairs. NEAT can account for 15 to 50 percent of total daily energy expenditure in some individuals.

Two people with identical workout routines can have maintenance levels that differ by 500 calories per day if one stands and walks most of the workday while the other sits for 10 hours.

The activity multiplier in this calculator partially captures NEAT, but it cannot account for every person's unique daily movement patterns.

Relying Solely on a Formula Without Real-World Calibration

No formula is perfect. Your metabolism may differ from the population averages on which the Mifflin-St Jeor equation is based. Always cross-reference the calculator result with observation over time.

If you are eating at your calculated maintenance level but gaining weight consistently after two weeks, your true maintenance is lower — reduce your target by 100 to 200 calories and observe again. If you are losing weight when trying to maintain, your true maintenance is higher — increase accordingly.

Not Adjusting as Your Weight Changes

Maintenance calories are not a fixed number for life. They change as your body weight changes. When you lose weight, your body is smaller and burns fewer calories at rest.

A person who started at 220 lb will have a measurably lower maintenance level at 190 lb. Failing to recalculate means your target was accurate at your old weight but is now too high relative to your lighter body — a common reason for weight loss plateaus.

Recalculate every 10 to 15 pounds of weight change to keep your targets current.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories are the total calories your body burns in one day — scientists call this Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). When you eat exactly this number of calories, your body weight stays stable. Eating more leads to weight gain; eating less leads to weight loss.

How do I find my maintenance calories?

Use the Maintenance Calorie Calculator at the top of this page. Enter your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level, then click Calculate. The tool applies the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and your activity multiplier to estimate your daily maintenance calorie needs in seconds.

How do I calculate maintenance calories manually?

Step 1 — Calculate BMR. For men: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5. For women: the same formula minus 161. Step 2 — Multiply BMR by your activity factor: 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (lightly active), 1.55 (moderately active), 1.725 (active), or 1.9 (very active). The result is your estimated maintenance calories (TDEE).

What is the maintenance calorie formula?

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. For men: TDEE = [(10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5)] × PAL. For women: TDEE = [(10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161)] × PAL. W is weight in kg, H is height in cm, A is age in years, and PAL ranges from 1.2 to 1.9 depending on activity level.

What are my maintenance calories if I weigh 160 pounds?

It depends on your gender, age, height, and activity level. As a rough reference, a moderately active 30-year-old man at 160 lb (5 ft 10 in) needs approximately 2,623 Cal/day. A moderately active 28-year-old woman at 160 lb (5 ft 5 in) needs approximately 2,308 Cal/day. Use the full calculator above for a result tailored to your specific measurements.

What are maintenance calories for a 180 lb man?

For a moderately active 30-year-old man at 180 lb and 5 ft 11 in, the estimated maintenance level is approximately 2,780 Cal/day. This value changes with different ages, heights, and activity levels. Enter your exact details into the calculator for a personalized estimate.

How many calories do I need to maintain my weight?

Use the calculator above to get a personalized estimate. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 state that moderately active adult women typically need 2,000 to 2,200 calories per day, and moderately active adult men typically need 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day. Your individual needs depend on your age, height, weight, and activity level.

How accurate is this maintenance calorie calculator?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts BMR within 10 percent of laboratory-measured values for approximately 82 percent of healthy adults. Your true maintenance may be 10 to 15 percent higher or lower than the estimate because activity level is self-reported and variable. Track your intake and weight for 2 to 4 weeks to calibrate your personal maintenance level.

What is BMR, and how is it different from maintenance calories?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — the energy needed just to stay alive with no movement. Maintenance calories (TDEE) are your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for all daily movement. TDEE is always higher than BMR. For a sedentary person, TDEE is about 20 percent above BMR. For a very active person, TDEE can be nearly double the BMR.

Should I eat at my maintenance calories to lose weight?

No. Eating at your maintenance level keeps your weight stable. To lose weight, you must eat below your maintenance level — creating a calorie deficit. The calculator's Mild Weight Loss target is your maintenance minus 500 Cal/day, which corresponds to approximately 1 lb of weight loss per week for most people.

How often should I recalculate my maintenance calories?

Recalculate whenever your weight changes by 10 or more pounds, whenever your activity level changes significantly, or whenever your weight is not responding as expected to your current calorie target. Your maintenance calories decrease as you lose weight and increase as you gain weight or muscle — keeping your targets current is essential for continued progress.

Which activity level should I choose if I have a desk job but exercise regularly?

If you sit most of the day at work and exercise 3 to 4 times per week at moderate intensity, start with Lightly Active. If your sessions consistently exceed 45 to 60 minutes at high effort and you exercise 4 to 5 days per week, Moderately Active may apply. When uncertain, choose the lower level first and adjust based on results over 2 to 4 weeks of tracking.

What are maintenance calories for women?

Maintenance calories for women depend on age, height, weight, and activity level. A sedentary adult woman typically needs 1,600 to 1,800 calories per day. A moderately active adult woman usually needs 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day. Use the calculator above with your specific information for a personalized estimate.

Can I use this calculator for muscle building?

Yes. The calculator shows a Weight Gain / Muscle Building target — your maintenance calories plus 500 Cal/day. Combined with consistent resistance training, this moderate surplus provides the extra energy needed for muscle growth while limiting excess fat gain. Many experienced lifters prefer smaller surpluses of 200 to 300 Cal/day for leaner, slower muscle gain.

What is the maintenance calorie formula in kilograms?

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula already uses kilograms and centimeters. For men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5. For women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161. Multiply by 1.2 to 1.9 based on activity level. The calculator on this page accepts both imperial (lb, ft/in) and metric (kg, cm) inputs — use the unit toggle buttons to switch.

How do I find my calorie maintenance level without a calculator?

Track your food intake carefully for two to four weeks while keeping your body weight stable. Calculate your average daily calorie intake over that period. That average is your practical maintenance level. This approach — sometimes called eating to maintain — is often more accurate than any formula because it reflects your actual metabolism rather than a population-based estimate.

What is the maintenance kcal for an 80 kg male?

For a 30-year-old man at 80 kg and 178 cm, the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR is approximately 1,880 kcal/day. At a sedentary activity level (×1.2), his maintenance is approximately 2,256 kcal/day. At a moderate activity level (×1.55), his maintenance is approximately 2,914 kcal/day. At an active level (×1.725), it rises to approximately 3,243 kcal/day.

Why are my maintenance calories different from another calculator I used?

Different calculators use different formulas. This tool uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research has found most accurate for most healthy adults. Other tools may use the Harris-Benedict formula, which tends to overestimate slightly, or the Katch-McArdle formula, which requires body fat percentage. Differences in how activity levels are defined also contribute to varying results between tools.

Is this maintenance calorie calculator free?

Yes. The Maintenance Calorie Calculator is 100 percent free to use, now and always. There are no hidden fees, no premium tiers, no subscriptions, and no payments of any kind. You can use it as many times as you wish at no cost.

Do I need to sign up or create an account?

No. You do not need to register, create an account, or provide any personal information such as your name or email address. Simply enter your measurements into the calculator and click Calculate.

Do you store or collect my personal data?

No. We do not collect, store, or transmit any information you enter into the calculator. All calculations happen locally in your browser. No data is sent to our servers. Your height, weight, age, and activity level remain private on your own device and are never shared with any third party.

References

1. Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(2):241–247. doi:10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
2. Harris JA, Benedict FG. A Biometric Study of Human Basal Metabolism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 1918;4(12):370–373. doi:10.1073/pnas.4.12.370
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. dietaryguidelines.gov
4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Body Weight Planner. NIH NIDDK. niddk.nih.gov/bwp
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. CDC Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity. cdc.gov