Accurately determine the exact daily energy expenditure required to stabilize your current body weight using the scientific Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This professional-grade calorie calculator to maintain weight accounts for your unique physiological metrics and activity levels.
Maintenance Calorie Estimator
Male
Female
Biological sex impacts Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
Metabolic rate typically decreases slightly with age.
Please enter a valid age (15-100).
Current body weight in kilograms.
Please enter a positive weight.
Height in centimeters.
Please enter a positive height.
Sedentary (office job, little exercise)
Lightly Active (1-3 days/week exercise)
Moderately Active (3-5 days/week exercise)
Very Active (6-7 days/week hard exercise)
Extra Active (physical job or training 2x/day)
Select the option that best matches your average weekly routine.
Daily Maintenance Calories
2,450
Based on TDEE formula: BMR × Activity Factor
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)1,650 kcal
Weekly Maintenance Needs17,150 kcal
Activity Calorie Burn (Est.)800 kcal
Comparison of Daily Calorie Needs by Goal
Goal / Scenario
Calorie Target
Diff. from Maintenance
Table 1: Calorie adjustments required for different weight goals based on your inputs.
What is a Calorie Calculator to Maintain Weight?
A calorie calculator to maintain weight is a specialized digital tool designed to compute your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Unlike weight loss calculators that subtract calories to create a deficit, or bulking calculators that add a surplus, this tool identifies the equilibrium point—the exact number of calories your body requires to remain at its current weight indefinitely.
This calculator is essential for individuals who have reached their goal weight and wish to stabilize, athletes looking to maintain performance mass, or anyone seeking to understand their baseline metabolic requirements. It helps prevent unintentional weight creep or muscle loss by providing a scientifically backed caloric target. Many people underestimate how much they eat; using a precise calorie calculator to maintain weight removes the guesswork.
A common misconception is that eating 2,000 calories is a standard maintenance level for everyone. In reality, maintenance needs vary drastically based on height, weight, age, gender, and physical activity. This tool customizes that number for you.
Calorie Calculator to Maintain Weight Formula
To accurately determine the calorie calculator to maintain weight results, we utilize the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation. This formula is widely considered by clinical nutritionists and dietitians to be the most reliable method for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) in non-obese and obese individuals.
Step 1: Calculate BMR
The Basal Metabolic Rate represents the energy your body burns at complete rest just to keep organs functioning.
Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
Step 2: Apply Activity Factor
Once BMR is known, it is multiplied by an activity factor to determine TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), which equals your maintenance calories.
Variable
Meaning
Unit
Typical Range
Weight (W)
Current body mass
kg
40 – 160+
Height (H)
Vertical stature
cm
140 – 200+
Activity Factor
Physical exertion level
Multiplier
1.2 – 1.9
Table 2: Variables used in the calorie calculator to maintain weight calculation logic.
Practical Examples
Understanding how a calorie calculator to maintain weight works in real-world scenarios helps contextalize the numbers.
Example 1: The Office Worker
Profile: Sarah is a 35-year-old female, 165 cm tall, weighing 65 kg. She works a desk job and exercises lightly once a week.
Mike needs significantly more food just to maintain his weight compared to Sarah, highlighting why a generic recommendation fails.
How to Use This Calorie Calculator to Maintain Weight
Select Gender: Choose biological sex as this affects muscle mass assumptions in the formula.
Input Age: Enter your current age in years. Older metabolisms typically require fewer calories.
Enter Measurements: Input accurate weight in kilograms and height in centimeters.
Assess Activity: Be honest about your activity level. Overestimating activity is a common error that leads to unwanted weight gain.
Analyze Results: The large blue number is your daily target. The "Intermediate Values" show your baseline BMR and weekly totals.
Monitor: Eat at this level for 2-3 weeks and monitor your average weekly weight. If it trends up or down, adjust by 100-200 calories.
Key Factors That Affect Maintenance Results
While this calorie calculator to maintain weight provides a highly accurate estimate, several biological and environmental factors influence the final number.
1. Muscle Mass vs. Fat Mass
Muscle tissue is metabolically active, burning roughly 6 calories per pound per day at rest, whereas fat burns only about 2. Two people of the same weight but different body compositions will have different maintenance needs. High muscularity increases the result.
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
Digestion consumes energy. Protein has a high TEF (20-30%), meaning if your diet is high in protein, your effective maintenance calories might be slightly higher than the calculator predicts because you burn more processing the food.
3. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
NEAT includes fidgeting, standing, and walking around the office. This can vary by up to 500 calories between individuals. A "Sedentary" person who fidgets constantly may have a higher maintenance level than predicted.
4. Age-Related Metabolic Adaptation
As we age, hormonal changes and muscle loss (sarcopenia) naturally lower BMR. The calculator accounts for this, reducing the allowance by approximately 5 calories per day for every year of age.
5. Genetic Variability
Some individuals have "thrifty" metabolisms that preserve energy, while others have "spendthrift" metabolisms. This genetic variance can skew the actual maintenance number by +/- 10-15% from the calculated average.
6. Recent Weight History
If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight, your body may have undergone "metabolic adaptation," lowering your maintenance needs temporarily below what the formula predicts to conserve energy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How accurate is this calorie calculator to maintain weight?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate to within 10% for most people. It is the gold standard for non-clinical settings.
2. Should I eat back my exercise calories?
Generally, no. The "Activity Level" multiplier already accounts for your exercise. Adding exercise calories on top of this result usually leads to double-counting and weight gain.
3. Why is my maintenance calorie number so high?
If you are tall, young, or selected a high activity level, your energy output is significant. Your body requires this fuel to function. Undereating when trying to maintain weight can lead to fatigue.
4. Does this calculator work for teens?
This calculator works best for adults 18+. Teens are still growing and have higher energy demands that may require specialized pediatric formulas.
5. What happens if I eat my maintenance calories but still gain weight?
You likely overestimated your activity level or underestimated your food intake. Try lowering the activity setting one tier or tracking your food more precisely.
6. Can I use this for keto or vegan diets?
Yes. A calorie is a unit of energy regardless of source. However, diets high in protein or fiber may make you feel fuller on these calories compared to processed foods.
7. How often should I recalculate?
Recalculate every time your weight changes by more than 3-5 kg, or if your activity lifestyle changes significantly (e.g., changing from a desk job to a waiter job).
8. Is BMR the same as maintenance calories?
No. BMR is what you burn in a coma. Maintenance calories (TDEE) include BMR plus movement and digestion. Eating only your BMR usually results in weight loss.
Related Tools and Internal Resources
Enhance your fitness journey with our suite of specialized calculators:
BMI Calculator – Determine if your weight falls within a healthy range.
BMR Calculator – Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate strictly for rest days.
Macro Calculator – Split your maintenance calories into protein, carbs, and fats.