How Many Calories Should I Eat to Maintain My Weight?

If you have ever asked yourself, "How many calories should I eat to maintain my weight?", you are not alone. Maintenance calories are one of the most misunderstood topics in nutrition, yet they are one of the most important for long-term success.

Many people focus only on eating less to lose weight or eating more to gain muscle. But knowing your calories to maintain weight is what allows you to stop dieting, stabilize your progress, recover mentally and physically, and avoid regaining lost weight.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what maintenance calories are, how to calculate them, why they change over time, and how to eat at maintenance without slowly gaining fat.

Quick Answer: Calories to Maintain Weight

To maintain your weight, you generally need to eat roughly the same number of calories that your body burns each day. This number is called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Most people maintain weight within a range of ±100–200 calories.
Your exact maintenance calories depend on your size, activity level, muscle mass, and lifestyle.
Maintenance is not a single perfect number; it is a range.

If you want a personalized estimate, the easiest place to start is with a reliable calorie calculator.

What Are Maintenance Calories?

Maintenance calories are the number of calories you need to eat to keep your body weight relatively stable over time. When you consistently eat at maintenance, your body weight may fluctuate day to day, but the overall trend stays the same.

Maintenance does not mean “nothing is happening.” In fact, eating at maintenance often supports:

Hormonal balance
Energy and mood stability
Better training performance
Improved relationship with food
Long-term weight control

For a deeper breakdown of how maintenance calories work, see our full guide on maintenance calories.

How Maintenance Calories Are Calculated

Maintenance calories are not guessed; they are estimated using well-established principles of energy balance.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest just to keep you alive. This includes breathing, circulation, organ function, and temperature regulation.

BMR typically accounts for 60–70% of the calories you burn each day, but it is not your eating target.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

Your TDEE is your BMR plus all movement and activity throughout the day. This includes:

Exercise and training
Daily movement (walking, standing, chores)
Non-exercise activity (NEAT)
Digesting food

Maintenance calories are based on TDEE, not BMR. That’s why two people of the same size can maintain weight on very different calorie intakes.

You can estimate your TDEE using a calorie calculator and then refine it using real-world results.

How Many Calories Does the Average Person Need to Maintain Weight?

While averages don’t apply to everyone, they can provide a general reference point.

Sedentary women: ~1,800–2,000 calories/day
Sedentary men: ~2,200–2,400 calories/day
Moderately active adults: ~2,000–2,600+ calories/day
Highly active individuals: 2,800–3,500+ calories/day

These are estimates only. Your true maintenance calories may be higher or lower depending on muscle mass, daily movement, and genetics.

Why Maintenance Calories Change Over Time

Maintenance calories are not static. They change as your body and lifestyle change.

Weight loss: lowers maintenance calories
Muscle gain: raises maintenance calories
Reduced movement: lowers maintenance
Increased activity: raises maintenance

After dieting, many people experience metabolic adaptation, where the body becomes more efficient and burns fewer calories. This makes post-diet maintenance especially important.

How to Find Your True Maintenance Calories

The most accurate way to determine your calories to maintain weight is to combine estimates with real-world tracking.

Start with a calorie calculator estimate
Eat consistently for 2–4 weeks
Track daily body weight averages
Adjust calories by 100–150 if weight trends up or down

If your weight stays roughly the same over several weeks, you’ve found your maintenance range.

Eating at Maintenance Without Gaining Weight

Eating at maintenance is about consistency, not perfection.

Focus on Weekly Averages

One high-calorie day does not cause fat gain. What matters is the average intake across the week.

Prioritize Protein and Fiber

Protein supports muscle and satiety
Fiber helps regulate appetite
Both make maintenance easier

Account for Social Meals

Maintenance allows flexibility. Balance higher-calorie meals with lighter meals elsewhere instead of trying to “eat perfectly.”

Maintenance Calories After Weight Loss

After dieting, eating at maintenance is often the smartest next step. It helps normalize hunger hormones, improve energy, and prevent rebound weight gain.

Many people regain weight not because maintenance doesn’t work, but because they never actually eat at true maintenance.

Maintenance vs Weight Loss vs Muscle Gain

Each goal requires a different calorie approach:

Weight loss: calorie deficit
Maintenance: calories equal to TDEE
Muscle gain: calorie surplus

Understanding when to use maintenance calories is key to long-term success, not just short-term results.

Common Mistakes at Maintenance

Overestimating activity levels
Ignoring liquid calories
Eating at maintenance only “sometimes”
Failing to adjust as body weight changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I eat maintenance calories every day?

Yes, but remember that maintenance works on averages. Daily fluctuations are normal.

How often should I recalculate maintenance calories?

Recalculate when body weight changes by about 5–10% or when activity levels change significantly.

Can I build muscle at maintenance?

Beginners and those returning after a break often can. Advanced lifters usually need a surplus.

Final Takeaway: Maintenance Calories Are a Skill

Learning how many calories you need to maintain your weight is one of the most valuable nutrition skills you can develop.

Maintenance supports recovery, balance, and sustainability, and it makes every future weight loss or muscle gain phase more successful.

Ready to apply this? Get a personalized calorie estimate to find your personalized maintenance calories and start building long-term consistency.