Maintenance Calorie Calculator (TDEE)
Your maintenance calories — your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — are the number you can eat to keep your weight stable. Enter your details below to get your TDEE, then use it as the baseline for any fat-loss or muscle-gain goal. This is the most important number to know before changing your diet.
Tools that pair well with this one.
Eight more calculators families use alongside this — all free, no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
What are maintenance calories?+
Maintenance calories are the amount you burn in a typical day (your TDEE). Eat that amount and your weight stays roughly stable. Eat below it to lose, above it to gain.
How do I find my true maintenance calories?+
The calculator gives a strong estimate. To confirm it, eat at the suggested number for 2–3 weeks while tracking your weight: if it's stable, that's your maintenance; if it drifts, adjust by 100–200 calories.
How are my daily calories calculated?+
The calculator estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy your body uses at rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your age, sex, height and weight, then multiplies it by an activity factor to give your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): the calories you burn in a typical day.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?+
BMR is what you'd burn lying in bed all day. TDEE is BMR plus the energy you spend moving, exercising and digesting food. To maintain your weight, eat around your TDEE; to lose or gain, adjust from there.
How many calories should I eat to lose or gain weight?+
A deficit of about 500 calories a day below your TDEE leads to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week; a 500-calorie surplus supports a similar rate of gain. Avoid very large deficits, which are hard to sustain and can cost you muscle.
Are these calorie numbers exact?+
No — they're a well-validated estimate. Real needs vary with muscle mass, genetics and daily activity. Use the number as a starting point, track your weight for 2–3 weeks, and adjust by 100–200 calories if you're not moving in your intended direction.