Maintenance Calorie Calculator (TDEE)

Maintenance calorie guide

What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories are the estimated number of calories you need each day to keep your body weight stable. They are based on your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): the energy your body uses at rest plus the energy used through daily movement and exercise.

TDEE describes estimated calories burned, while maintenance calories describe the matching intake used for planning. The values are often treated as the same starting number, but neither is a direct measurement of your metabolism.

How this TDEE calculator works

1. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and the activity level that reflects a typical week.
2. The calculator estimates BMR using Mifflin-St Jeor, or Katch-McArdle when you provide a supported body-fat percentage.
3. It applies your activity multiplier using the relationship TDEE = estimated BMR × activity multiplier.

Your inputs stay in your browser. The result page shows your estimated maintenance calories, BMR, formula, calorie-goal comparisons, and macro guidance. See the calculator methodology for every implemented formula, multiplier, and limitation.

How to use your calorie estimate

Start with your estimated maintenance calories (TDEE). Eat near this number to maintain weight, below it for weight loss, or above it for muscle gain. Use it as a starting point and adjust based on your progress.

Quick answers

Maintenance calorie calculator FAQ

• What are maintenance calories?+

  Maintenance calories are the estimated number of calories you need each day to keep your body weight stable. They use TDEE as the starting estimate for matching daily calorie intake to daily energy expenditure.

  Read the methodology
• Are maintenance calories the same as TDEE?+

  They describe two sides of the same planning baseline. TDEE estimates how many calories you burn in a day, while maintenance calories are the matching intake expected to keep weight stable. Both are estimates, not direct measurements.

  Compare TDEE and BMR
• How does this calculator estimate daily calorie needs?+

  It estimates BMR from your body statistics, then multiplies that value by the activity factor you select. In short, estimated TDEE equals estimated BMR multiplied by an activity multiplier.

  Review all formulas
• Which activity level should I choose?+

  Choose the level that reflects your normal combination of work, walking, daily movement, and training across a typical week. Do not base it only on your hardest workout day.

  Choose the right activity level
• How accurate is the estimate for weight loss or muscle gain?+

  It provides a useful maintenance starting point for comparing calorie deficits or surpluses, but formulas and activity categories cannot measure your exact metabolism. Compare the result with consistent intake and body-weight trends, then adjust when real outcomes differ.

  Read the TDEE accuracy guidePlan a calorie deficitPlan a calorie surplus