Calculate your exact maintenance calories using 4 BMR equations. Includes TDEE, macro breakdown, meal split, and calorie goals for cutting and bulking.
Your maintenance calorie level — technically called Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — is the number of calories you need to eat each day to keep your weight stable. It is the single most important number in nutrition: eat below it to lose fat, above it to gain weight, and at it to maintain. Getting this number wrong by even 300–500 calories per day leads to unintended weight changes of 2–4 pounds per month.
This Maintenance Calorie Calculator uses up to four validated BMR equations — Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict (revised), Katch-McArdle, and Cunningham — and averages their results for maximum accuracy. Each equation has strengths: Mifflin-St Jeor is most accurate for non-obese individuals, while Katch-McArdle uses lean body mass and excels for athletic builds. By combining them, the calculator reduces the estimation error inherent in any single equation.
Beyond the raw number, the calculator provides a balanced macro split (30% protein, 35% carbs, 35% fat), calorie targets for different goals (aggressive cut to bulk), a visual BMR equation comparison, meal frequency distribution, and an activity factor reference. Whether you are reverse-dieting out of a cut, calibrating a new meal plan, or simply curious about your calorie needs, this tool provides the data-driven foundation.
Every diet plan — whether cutting, bulking, or maintaining — starts with knowing your maintenance calories. This calculator combines multiple equations, provides goal-based adjustments, and distributes macros across your preferred meal frequency to eliminate guesswork from your nutrition planning. Keep these notes focused on your operational context. Tie the context to the calculator’s intended domain. Use this clarification to avoid ambiguous interpretation.
Mifflin-St Jeor: Males = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5; Females = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age − 161. Harris-Benedict (revised): Males = 88.362 + 13.397×weight(kg) + 4.799×height(cm) − 5.677×age. Katch-McArdle = 370 + 21.6×LBM(kg). TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor.
Result: Maintenance: ~2,636 kcal/day
A 30-year-old male (180 lbs, 70″) has a Mifflin-St Jeor BMR of 1,756 kcal and Harris-Benedict BMR of 1,883 kcal. Averaged: ~1,820 kcal. Multiplied by 1.55 (moderate activity) = ~2,636 kcal/day maintenance. This means he should eat approximately 2,640 kcal to maintain weight.
No BMR equation can perfectly predict your metabolism because individual variation is significant. Genetics, thyroid function, gut microbiome, sleep quality, stress, and NEAT all influence your actual energy expenditure. The calculated number gets you within 10% — close enough to start, but not precise enough to blindly follow. The real magic happens in the next 2–3 weeks: weigh yourself daily, average weekly, and adjust by 100–200 kcal if weight isn't tracking as expected.
Extended calorie deficits cause metabolic adaptation ("metabolic damage" is a misnomer — it's adaptation). BMR drops 5–15% beyond what weight loss accounts for, NEAT decreases, and hormones (leptin, thyroid, testosterone) downregulate. Reverse dieting — gradually increasing calories by 50–100 kcal/week after a cut — helps restore metabolic rate without rapid fat regain. This calculator provides the baseline for planning a reverse diet.
About 10% of your TDEE comes from the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) — the energy cost of digesting what you eat. Protein has the highest TEF (20–30%), followed by carbs (5–10%) and fat (0–3%). This is one reason high-protein diets are effective for body composition — you "waste" more calories processing protein.
BMR equations are typically within ±10% of actual measured values. Using this as a starting point and adjusting based on 2–3 weeks of weight tracking is the gold standard approach. If your weight is stable, your intake matches your TDEE.
Mifflin-St Jeor is considered the most accurate for most adults who are not extremely lean or obese. If you know your body fat percentage, Katch-McArdle is excellent. This calculator averages all available equations for the best estimate.
If your goal is fat loss, eat 15–25% below maintenance. For muscle gain, eat 10–20% above. For body recomposition (simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain), eat at or slightly below maintenance with high protein (1g/lb).
Water retention, sodium intake, carbohydrate intake, menstrual cycle, and bowel contents cause daily fluctuations of 1–4 lbs. Judge trends over 2+ week averages, not daily readings.
Total daily intake matters more than meal timing for body composition. However, distributing protein evenly (25–40g per meal) optimizes muscle protein synthesis. The calculator provides example meal splits for 2–6 meals.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) includes all movement that is not formal exercise: fidgeting, walking, standing, household chores. NEAT varies by 200–2,000+ kcal/day between individuals and is the largest source of TDEE variation beyond exercise.