Your maintenance calories are the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current body weight without gaining or losing weight. This amount depends primarily on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your Physical Activity Level (PAL).
How to Calculate Your Maintenance Calories
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Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
BMR is the number of calories your body needs at rest to maintain vital functions. The most commonly used formula is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:- For women:
BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)−161BMR=10\times \text{weight (kg)}+6.25\times \text{height (cm)}-5\times \text{age (years)}-161BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)−161
* For men:
BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)+5BMR=10\times \text{weight (kg)}+6.25\times \text{height (cm)}-5\times \text{age (years)}+5BMR=10×weight (kg)+6.25×height (cm)−5×age (years)+5
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Multiply BMR by your Physical Activity Level (PAL):
PAL is a factor that reflects your daily activity level, ranging typically from 1.2 (sedentary) to 2.4 (very active/professional athlete). Common PAL values are:- 1.2: Little or no exercise
- 1.4: Light exercise 1-2 times/week
- 1.6: Moderate exercise 2-3 times/week
- 1.75: Hard exercise 3-5 times/week
- 2.0: Hard exercise 6-7 times/week or physical job
- 2.4: Very intense training or professional athlete
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Calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE):
Maintenance Calories=BMR×PAL\text{Maintenance Calories}=BMR\times PALMaintenance Calories=BMR×PAL
This TDEE value is the estimated number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight
Example
A 25-year-old woman weighing 62 kg and 168 cm tall with a PAL of 1.4 would have:
- BMR = 10×62+6.25×168−5×25−161=138410\times 62+6.25\times 168-5\times 25-161=138410×62+6.25×168−5×25−161=1384 kcal/day
- Maintenance Calories = 1384×1.4=1937.61384\times 1.4=1937.61384×1.4=1937.6 kcal/day
She would need about 1938 calories daily to maintain her weight
Why Knowing Your Maintenance Calories Matters
- Helps you make informed food choices
- Enables effective weight management (loss, gain, or maintenance)
- Supports healthy planning of diet and exercise
- Ensures your body gets the energy it needs for daily activities and metabolism
If you want a quick estimate without detailed calculation, a rough rule of thumb is to multiply your body weight (in pounds) by about 15 calories if you are moderately active
. In summary, your maintenance calories are calculated by determining your BMR and then adjusting it based on your activity level to find your total daily energy needs to keep your current weight stable
