Maintenance Calories Calculator
Calculate your maintenance calories (TDEE) based on your age, height, weight, sex, and activity level.
Our free maintenance calories calculator works out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the number of calories you need each day to maintain your current weight. It also shows calorie targets for weight loss and weight gain.
How to calculate maintenance calories
Maintenance calories are calculated in two steps:
- Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
- Multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier to account for how much you move each day.
The result is your TDEE: the total calories needed to maintain your current weight.
Mifflin-St Jeor equation
Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Activity multipliers
| Activity level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (little or no exercise) | 1.2 |
| Lightly active (1–3 days/week) | 1.375 |
| Moderately active (3–5 days/week) | 1.55 |
| Very active (6–7 days/week) | 1.725 |
| Extra active (physical job or 2× training) | 1.9 |
How to calculate a calorie deficit
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your TDEE. The formula is simple:
Calorie deficit target = TDEE − desired deficit
A deficit of 500 kcal/day leads to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week, since 1 lb of fat is approximately 3,500 kcal. A 250 kcal/day deficit gives slower, more sustainable loss of about 0.25 kg/week. Deficits larger than 1,000 kcal/day are generally not recommended as they can lead to muscle loss and nutrient deficiencies.
How many calories to lose or gain weight?
A deficit of 500 calories per day below maintenance leads to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week. A surplus of 500 calories per day leads to roughly 0.5 kg of weight gain per week. These are estimates — individual results vary based on metabolism, food choices, and adherence.