How Many Calories Maintain Your Goal Weight
Results
Visualization
How It Works
Maintenance calories equal your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). We estimate basal metabolic rate with Mifflin-St Jeor: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age + (5 if male, -161 if female), then multiply by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active). The chart recomputes TDEE across weights 20 lb below to 20 lb above your goal so you can see how sensitive intake is to body weight.
What Should You Do?
Once you reach your goal weight, eat at this maintenance level to hold it. Expect to recheck, because metabolism falls a little as you slim down, so the number that maintained 180 lb will be lower at 150 lb. If you are active, include those calories; if you sit most of the day, use the lower factor. Track weight for two weeks and nudge intake up or down by 50-100 calories if the scale drifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is maintenance lower than my old diet?
Smaller bodies burn fewer calories, and eating less can lower metabolism slightly, so the calories that held a higher weight will cause gain at a lower weight.
Which activity factor should I pick?
Be honest about typical weeks. Most desk workers are sedentary to light; only daily hard training reaches active or very active.
Does this include exercise calories?
The activity factor loosely covers routine movement. Separate workouts can be added on top using a fitness tracker estimate.
Is Mifflin-St Jeor reliable?
It is one of the more accurate simple equations, but individuals vary by 5-15%. Use it as a starting point and adjust to your scale.
Should women use the same formula?
Yes, with the female constant (-161). Women generally get a lower BMR at the same size, which the formula reflects.