Maintenance Calorie Calculator: Calories to Maintain Your Weight
Estimate the daily calories that keep your weight stable: BMR from Mifflin-St Jeor, revised Harris-Benedict or Katch-McArdle (body fat), times your activity level or your own PAL, with every activity level and the intake for losing or gaining 0.25–1 kg (0.5–2 lb) a week.
How it works
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = 10·kg + 6.25·cm − 5·age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women) · Revised Harris-Benedict: men 13.397·kg + 4.799·cm − 5.677·age + 88.362; women 9.247·kg + 3.098·cm − 4.330·age + 447.593 · Katch-McArdle: 370 + 21.6 × lean mass (kg) · Maintenance = BMR × activity multiplier · weight change ≈ 7,700 kcal per kg (3,500 per lb)
Maintenance calories, also called total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), are the energy that keeps your weight steady. The calculator first estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy your body uses at complete rest, and then multiplies it by an activity factor for daily movement and exercise. Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is the default because it is the most accurate of the common equations for most adults; the revised Harris-Benedict equation (Roza and Shizgal, 1984) is shown for comparison and usually comes out a little higher. Katch-McArdle uses lean body mass, so it suits people who know their body-fat percentage and is better for very muscular or very lean people. The activity multipliers (1.2 to 1.9) are the standard ones; if you know your physical activity level (PAL), choose your own multiplier. The weight-goal table subtracts or adds the daily calories for a target rate of change, about 7,700 kcal per kilogram (3,500 per pound). All of these are population estimates: track your weight for a few weeks and adjust.
Worked example
A 30-year-old man, 75 kg and 178 cm: BMR = 10 × 75 + 6.25 × 178 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 750 + 1,112.5 − 150 + 5 = 1,717.5 kcal/day, shown as 1,718. With a moderate activity multiplier of 1.55, maintenance = 1,717.5 × 1.55 = 2,662.1, about 2,662 kcal per day (11,138 kJ). Sedentary would be 2,061 kcal and extra active 3,263 kcal. To lose 0.5 kg a week he would eat about 2,662 − 550 = 2,112 kcal a day.
Sources: Mifflin MD et al., A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (Am J Clin Nutr, 1990) · Calculator.net: calorie calculator (Mifflin-St Jeor, revised Harris-Benedict and Katch-McArdle equations) · Omni Calculator: maintenance calorie calculator (BMR × PAL, worked example)
Frequently asked questions
What are maintenance calories?
The daily calorie intake at which your weight stays constant: your total daily energy expenditure. It combines the energy burned at rest (BMR) with the energy used by daily movement and exercise, captured here by the activity multiplier.
How is maintenance different from BMR?
BMR is only the energy your body needs at complete rest. Maintenance multiplies BMR by an activity factor, from 1.2 for sedentary people to about 1.9 for very active ones, so it is always higher than BMR.
Which BMR equation is most accurate?
For most adults Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate of the common equations, typically within about 10% of measured values. Harris-Benedict tends to run slightly higher. If you know your body-fat percentage, Katch-McArdle can be better for very lean or muscular people.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 kcal a day below maintenance gives roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of loss per week. Larger deficits are possible but harder to sustain, and most guidance advises not going below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) without medical supervision.
Why does my weight not match the estimate?
Equations predict averages. Body composition, genetics, hormones, sleep and how accurately activity and food are logged all shift the real number. Use the result as a starting point, weigh yourself regularly for 2–3 weeks and adjust by 100–200 kcal a day.
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Educational estimate only — not medical, dietary or fitness advice. Individual needs vary; consult a qualified clinician or registered dietitian before making health decisions, especially during pregnancy, for children and teens, or with a medical condition.