Why Use a Maintenance Calorie Calculator?

Reaching your target weight is a significant achievement, but keeping it off requires strategy. A Maintenance Calorie Calculator is an essential tool for establishing your “Zero-Sum” baseline. This is the precise number of calories your body burns daily (TDEE) at your goal weight.

If you consume exactly this amount, you will neither gain nor lose fat. Eating above this maintenance level leads to a caloric surplus (weight gain), while eating below it creates a deficit (weight loss).

How This Calculator Works

Our tool utilizes the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, widely considered by health professionals to be the most accurate formula for estimating Caloric needs. The calculation happens in two steps:

1. BMR Calculation: We first calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate—the energy your body uses for basic functions like breathing and cell repair.
2. TDEE Adjustment: We multiply your BMR by an activity factor to find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This is your true maintenance number.

“Balancing the calories you consume with the calories your body uses is the key to weight maintenance.” — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Tips for Sustainable Weight Maintenance

Once you have your number from the Maintenance Calorie Calculator, apply these strategies:

• Monitor Trends: Weigh yourself weekly rather than daily. Minor fluctuations are normal, but a consistent upward trend means you are exceeding your maintenance calories.
• Adjust for Activity: As seen in the chart above, your needs change drastically with movement. If you switch from a sedentary job to an active one, you must eat more to prevent unwanted weight loss.
• Prioritize Protein: Protein has a higher thermic effect than fats or carbs, helping to keep your metabolism active. Read more about metabolism at the Mayo Clinic.

Disclaimer: This maintenance calorie calculator provides an estimate. Individual metabolism varies based on genetics, body composition (muscle mass), and hormonal health.