What are maintenance calories?

Maintenance calories (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns each day at your current activity level. Eating this amount keeps your weight stable, eating more gains weight, eating less loses it.

How accurate is the TDEE calculation?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most accurate predictive formula for most adults, with an average error of around 10%. Your actual TDEE may vary based on genetics, lean mass, and non-exercise activity.

Should I recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight?

Yes. As your weight changes, your TDEE changes too. Recalculate every 4–6 weeks or after a significant weight change (5 kg+) to keep your calorie targets accurate.

Does the calculator work offline?

Once the page has loaded, yes. The formula runs in the open tab, so it keeps working if your connection drops. Reloading or opening another page needs a connection again.

Maintenance calorie calculator

Maintenance calories, also called your TDEE, are the number of calories that keep your weight stable. Knowing this number is the starting point for any diet goal: losing fat, gaining muscle, or holding steady. Enter your details to find your number.

Biological sex

Age (years)

Height (cm)

Weight (kg)

Activity level

Results are for informational purposes and do not constitute medical advice.

How it works

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation calculates basal metabolic rate (BMR), the calories your body needs at rest. Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5. Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161. The BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2–1.9) to produce your TDEE. Calorie targets are derived by adding or subtracting a daily deficit or surplus.

Processing runs in your browser

All calculations happen locally using pure JavaScript arithmetic. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Technical specification

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was developed by Mifflin et al. and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51:2 (1990). It is the most widely recommended BMR formula for adults. Activity multipliers follow the Harris-Benedict activity factor scale: Sedentary (×1.2), Lightly active (×1.375), Moderately active (×1.55), Active (×1.725), Very active (×1.9). A 500 kcal/day deficit corresponds to approximately 0.5 kg of fat loss per week (based on 3,500 kcal per pound of fat).

BMR formula: Mifflin-St Jeor (1990), AJCN 51:2
Activity multipliers: 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active)
Weight loss target: TDEE − 500 kcal/day ≈ 0.5 kg/week loss
Browser API: Pure JavaScript arithmetic. No library

Related operations

To check a weight category for your height, try the BMI calculator. For body composition from circumference inputs, use the body fat calculator. To work out fat-free mass for protein targets, see the lean body mass calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What are maintenance calories?: Maintenance calories (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns each day at your current activity level. Eating this amount keeps your weight stable, eating more gains weight, eating less loses it.
How accurate is the TDEE calculation?: The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most accurate predictive formula for most adults, with an average error of around 10%. Your actual TDEE may vary based on genetics, lean mass, and non-exercise activity.
Should I recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight?: Yes. As your weight changes, your TDEE changes too. Recalculate every 4–6 weeks or after a significant weight change (5 kg+) to keep your calorie targets accurate.
Does the calculator work offline?: Once the page has loaded, yes. The formula runs in the open tab, so it keeps working if your connection drops. Reloading or opening another page needs a connection again.

Last reviewed September 30, 2026

Other pages for this tool

Related tools

Background reading: Complete guide to health tools