How to Calculate Maintenance Calories (Step by Step)

To calculate your maintenance calories, first estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with a formula such as Mifflin-St Jeor, then multiply it by an activity factor between about 1.2 (mostly sitting) and 1.9 (very hard physical work or training). The result is your estimated total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE: roughly the number of calories that keeps your weight stable. Below you'll find the exact formula, worked examples in metric and imperial units, and a simple method for checking and adjusting the number in real life.

If you'd rather skip the maths, the TDEE calculator does all of this instantly in your browser. But it's worth understanding how the number is built, because that tells you how much to trust it.

What "maintenance calories" actually means

Your body uses energy all day, even when you are asleep. That total daily energy use is made up of roughly four parts:

Component	What it is	How much it varies
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)	Energy to keep you alive at rest: breathing, circulation, organ function	Usually the largest part; depends on body size, age, sex
Non-exercise activity (NEAT)	Walking, standing, fidgeting, housework, taking the stairs	Varies a lot between people and days
Exercise	Planned training: runs, lifting, classes	Depends on your routine
Thermic effect of food	Energy used to digest and process food	Relatively small

Maintenance calories are the sum of all of these. When you eat about that amount on average, your weight tends to stay stable. Eat consistently less and you lose weight over time; eat consistently more and you gain.

Step 1: calculate your BMR with Mifflin-St Jeor

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is one of the most widely used formulas for estimating resting energy needs in healthy adults. It uses your weight, height, age and sex:

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

The formula is based on sex as a biological variable. If that doesn't map neatly onto your situation, for example during hormone therapy, a doctor or registered dietitian can help you choose the best starting estimate.

Worked example 1 (metric)

A 30-year-old woman, 65 kg, 165 cm tall:

• 10 × 65 = 650
• 6.25 × 165 = 1,031.25
• 5 × 30 = 150
• BMR = 650 + 1,031.25 − 150 − 161 = about 1,370 kcal per day

Worked example 2 (metric)

A 35-year-old man, 80 kg, 180 cm tall:

• 10 × 80 = 800
• 6.25 × 180 = 1,125
• 5 × 35 = 175
• BMR = 800 + 1,125 − 175 + 5 = 1,755 kcal per day

Using pounds and inches

The formula needs kilograms and centimetres. Convert first:

• Weight in kg = weight in lb × 0.4536
• Height in cm = height in inches × 2.54

Example: 170 lb and 5 ft 9 in (69 inches) becomes 77.1 kg and 175.3 cm. Then use the formula as normal. The TDEE calculator lets you switch between metric and imperial, so you don't need to convert by hand.

Step 2: pick your activity multiplier

Next, multiply your BMR by an activity factor. These are the commonly used multipliers:

Activity level	Typical description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Desk job, little walking, no training	1.2
Lightly active	Light exercise 1–3 days a week or a job with some walking	1.375
Moderately active	Moderate exercise 3–5 days a week	1.55
Very active	Hard exercise 6–7 days a week	1.725
Extra active	Very hard training plus a physical job, or training twice a day	1.9

Be honest here. One of the most common reasons maintenance estimates are off is choosing an activity level that's higher than reality. Three gym sessions a week combined with a desk job and little walking often fits "lightly active" better than "moderately active".

Finishing the worked examples

• Woman, BMR ~1,370, moderately active (1.55): 1,370 × 1.55 ≈ 2,124 kcal per day
• Man, BMR 1,755, lightly active (1.375): 1,755 × 1.375 ≈ 2,413 kcal per day

These are their estimated maintenance calories.

Step 3: test the number in real life

Every formula gives an estimate for an "average" person with your stats. Your real maintenance could be somewhat higher or lower because of muscle mass, daily movement, genetics, hormones, sleep and other factors. The best way to find your true maintenance is a simple experiment:

1. Eat around your estimate for 2–4 weeks. Try to be reasonably consistent. You don't need perfection.
2. Weigh yourself under the same conditions, for example in the morning after using the bathroom, a few times per week.
3. Look at the weekly average, not individual days. Daily weight jumps around because of water, salt, carbs and digestion.
4. Adjust in small steps. If your weekly average weight keeps creeping up, reduce by around 100–200 kcal per day. If it keeps drifting down and you don't want that, add a similar amount.
5. Repeat for another couple of weeks.

After one or two rounds, you'll have a personal maintenance number that is far more accurate than any formula.

From maintenance to a goal

Once you know your maintenance calories, you can plan for your goal. Calorie targets are often set relative to maintenance:

Goal	Common starting approach	Example (maintenance 2,400 kcal)
Maintain weight	Eat around maintenance	~2,400 kcal
Gentle fat loss	About 250 kcal below maintenance	~2,150 kcal
Moderate fat loss	About 500 kcal below maintenance	~1,900 kcal
Gradual muscle gain	About 250 kcal above maintenance, combined with strength training	~2,650 kcal

A few important notes:

• Avoid very large deficits. Eating far below your needs can leave you tired, hungry and struggling with training, and can be unsafe. As a rough rule, don't plan to eat below your estimated BMR without professional guidance.
• The body adapts. As your weight changes, your maintenance changes too. Recalculate after significant weight change.
• Food quality still matters. Calories set the amount; protein, fibre, fruit, vegetables and whole foods support how you feel and perform. Our guide to how much protein per day covers one of the most important parts.
• Seek individual advice when needed. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, kidney disease, a history of disordered eating, or any other medical condition, please talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how much you eat.

How training affects your maintenance calories

When you start training, your energy needs go up. A beginner running programme or three strength sessions a week can move you up an activity level. Some practical tips:

• Update your activity level when your routine changes for more than a couple of weeks.
• Don't "eat back" exact calorie numbers from watches or machines. Calorie burn estimates from devices can be quite rough. Your weight trend is the better guide.
• Fuel your workouts. If you feel drained during training or recovery is poor, you may be eating too little. Our pillar guides on strength training for beginners and how to start running explain how to build training up gradually.

Common mistakes when calculating maintenance calories

• Overestimating activity. Pick the level that describes most weeks, not your best week.
• Treating the formula as exact. It is a starting point. Real-world data beats estimates.
• Judging after a few days. Water fluctuations can hide real trends. Give it at least two weeks.
• Underestimating intake. Cooking oils, drinks, sauces and snacks add up. If you track, track everything for a while.
• Never recalculating. Your needs change with weight, age and activity.
• Going too low. Big deficits are hard to sustain and can backfire. Moderate and consistent wins.

Quick checklist

• Calculate BMR with Mifflin-St Jeor (or use the TDEE calculator)
• Choose an honest activity multiplier
• Multiply to get estimated maintenance calories
• Eat around that number for 2–4 weeks
• Track your weekly average weight
• Adjust by 100–200 kcal steps if needed
• Set a moderate goal target only after you know your maintenance

The bottom line

Calculating your maintenance calories is simple: BMR from the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, multiplied by an activity factor, gives you an estimated TDEE. The real skill is treating that number as a hypothesis, testing it for a few weeks and adjusting it based on your actual weight trend. Keep changes moderate, prioritise good food and recovery, and get personal advice from a doctor or registered dietitian if you have any health conditions.