Maintenance Calories
Maintenance calories are the daily intake level that keeps your body weight relatively stable over time. Use TDEE as your baseline, then tune intake from weekly trend data.
How to Use a Daily Maintenance Calorie Calculator
Start with the TDEE calculator result as your first daily maintenance calorie target. Eat near that target for 2 to 3 weeks, weigh under similar conditions, and compare weekly average body weight rather than single-day changes.
If the weekly average trends up, lower intake by about 100 to 200 kcal. If it trends down and maintenance is the goal, raise intake by about 100 to 200 kcal. Repeat the check after another stable tracking period.
Common Maintenance Calorie Mistakes
- Choosing an activity level that reflects best weeks instead of normal weeks
- Reacting to water-weight shifts instead of weekly average trend
- Changing calories, training, and sleep all at once, which makes feedback harder to read
Related Intent Pages
TDEE for Cutting and Weight Loss, TDEE Formula, What Is TDEE