Maintenance calories are the amount you can eat each day without gaining or losing weight. It is the baseline every diet starts from: cut below it to lose, eat above it to gain. Here is how to find your number in under a minute, free.
How to find your maintenance calories
- Enter your age, sex, height and weight.
- Pick the activity level closest to your normal week.
- Your maintenance calories appear instantly.
- Use the number as the anchor for any diet plan.
What to do with your number
- Eat at maintenance to hold your current weight steady.
- Subtract 300 to 500 calories for steady fat loss.
- Add 200 to 300 calories for a lean muscle-building surplus.
- Re-check every few months as your weight and activity change.
Frequently asked questions
What are maintenance calories?
The daily calorie intake that keeps your weight stable: what you burn equals what you eat. It is another name for your TDEE.
How accurate is the estimate?
It is a solid starting point based on validated formulas. Real life varies, so treat the first two weeks as calibration and adjust from your actual weight trend.
Do maintenance calories change over time?
Yes. Losing weight lowers them, gaining raises them, and activity changes shift them too. Recalculate whenever your situation changes.
Should athletes eat differently?
Very active people burn far more than the average, which the activity multipliers account for. Endurance athletes may need sport-specific guidance on top.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. Free with no signup.