Maintenance Calories Calculator

Estimate how many calories you need each day to maintain your current weight. This free maintenance calories calculator uses BMR and activity level, supports US and metric units, and shows practical daily calorie estimates in one place.

Calculate Maintenance Calories

Using height in feet and inches, weight in pounds, and activity level.
Using height in centimeters, weight in kilograms, and activity level.
Your result will appear here.

How maintenance calories are estimated

BMR first:
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate resting calorie needs.

Activity factor:
BMR is multiplied by your selected activity level to estimate maintenance calories.

Daily estimate:
The result shows the approximate calories needed to maintain your current weight.

Practical use:
This calculator also shows nearby calorie ranges for lighter and heavier routines.

Why maintenance calories matter

Maintenance calories are often used as the starting point for calorie planning. They can help you decide whether to stay at your current weight, eat less for fat loss, or eat more for weight gain.

Knowing your maintenance estimate can make nutrition planning simpler and more realistic.

What your result means

Your result shows estimated BMR, maintenance calories, and daily calorie estimates across several common activity levels.

This gives you a practical daily calorie target for weight maintenance.

Maintenance calories calculator tips

Frequently asked questions

What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories are the approximate number of calories needed to keep your current body weight stable.

Are maintenance calories the same as BMR?

No. BMR is resting calorie use, while maintenance calories include normal activity and daily movement.

How accurate is a maintenance calorie calculator?

It is a useful estimate, but real calorie needs can vary from person to person.

How do I know if my maintenance calories are correct?

Track body weight and calorie intake over time. If your weight stays about the same, your intake is likely close to maintenance.