How to Find Maintenance Calories The 3-Step Method

The Only Way to Find Your True Maintenance Calories

The most reliable way to know if you are eating at maintenance is to track your average weekly body weight and average daily calorie intake for 2-4 weeks. If your average weight remains stable, your average calorie intake is your maintenance level. This direct feedback from your body is more accurate than any online calculator because it's based on your unique physiology and lifestyle, not a generic formula.

This method works for anyone who wants to find the true number of calories that maintains their current weight. It establishes a crucial baseline for future fat loss or muscle gain phases. It does not work if you are inconsistent with your tracking, as the data will be unreliable. Think of it as a short-term science experiment with you as the subject. The goal is to collect clean, accurate data to unlock long-term nutritional freedom.

Here's why this data-driven approach is non-negotiable for predictable results.

Why Online Calorie Calculators Are Just a Guess

Online calculators use formulas like the Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor equations based on your age, sex, height, weight, and a self-reported activity level. While they provide a useful starting point, they are just an estimate. They cannot account for the variables that make you, you.

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is made of four parts:

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Energy burned at rest. Calculators are decent at estimating this, but genetics and hormone profiles can cause significant variance.
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): Energy used to digest food. This is typically 10% of your intake and is relatively stable.
3. Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT): Calories burned during planned exercise. This is highly variable and often overestimated.
4. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): The energy you burn from all other activities-fidgeting, walking, typing, daily tasks. This is the true wild card. It can vary by up to 2000 calories per day between individuals of similar size.

Most people find their actual maintenance calories are 200-500 calories higher or lower than what a calculator predicts. Relying solely on a calculator can lead to frustration when you don't see the expected results. The common mistake is treating the calculator's number as a fact instead of a hypothesis to be tested. The only way to find your true number is to collect real-world data on how your body responds to a specific calorie intake. Your body weight trend is the ultimate source of truth.

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The 3-Step Method to Find Your Maintenance Level

This process requires patience and consistency. Follow these three steps for 2-4 weeks to get a clear and accurate picture of your energy needs.

Step 1. Get Your Starting Calorie Estimate

You need a number to start with. Use this simple formula instead of a complex online calculator. It's just as effective as a starting point.

Bodyweight in kg × 22 × Activity Multiplier

Use an activity multiplier of 1.4 if you have a desk job and work out 3-4 times a week. Use 1.7 if you have an active job (e.g., construction, nursing) and work out 4-5 times a week. For example, an 80kg person with a desk job would start at 80 × 22 × 1.4 = 2464 calories per day.

Step 2. Track Weight and Calories for 2-4 Weeks

Consistency is everything in this step. For the next 2-4 weeks, you must do two things every day.

First, weigh yourself every morning after using the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. Record this number. This consistency in timing minimizes fluctuations from food and water intake.

Second, track every single thing you eat and drink that contains calories. Be as accurate as possible. Use a food scale for solids and measuring cups for liquids. Don't forget to log oils, sauces, and dressings-these can add hundreds of calories.

At the end of each week, calculate two averages. Add up your seven daily weigh-ins and divide by seven to get your average weekly weight. Then, add up your seven daily calorie totals and divide by seven to get your average daily calorie intake.

Step 3. Analyze the Weekly Averages and Adjust

Now you compare your weekly averages. If your average weight from week to week is stable (meaning it changes by less than 0.2kg), then your average daily calorie intake is your maintenance level. You found it.

• If your average weight is consistently increasing: You are in a calorie surplus. Reduce your daily intake by 100-250 calories and continue tracking.
• If your average weight is consistently decreasing: You are in a calorie deficit. Increase your daily intake by 100-250 calories and continue tracking.

Repeat this process until your weight stabilizes for at least two consecutive weeks. Doing this with a spreadsheet works. If you want to speed it up, the Mofilo app lets you log meals in seconds by scanning a barcode or snapping a photo. It cuts logging time from minutes to seconds.

Beyond the Scale: Using Biofeedback to Confirm Maintenance

The scale is a powerful tool, but it only tells part of the story. Your body provides daily qualitative data-or biofeedback-that can confirm you're truly at maintenance. When your calorie intake matches your output, your body thrives. Look for these three key signals.

1. Stable Energy and Mood

When you're at maintenance, your energy levels should be consistent throughout the day. You shouldn't need a 3 PM coffee just to stay awake, nor should you feel wired or anxious. Your mood should also be stable and positive. Chronic fatigue and irritability are classic signs of being in a prolonged deficit, while feeling sluggish can indicate a surplus.

2. Consistent Gym Performance

Your performance in the gym is one of the best indicators of your energy balance. At maintenance, you should be able to maintain or even slightly improve your strength and endurance. For example, if your 5-rep max on the squat has been a solid 120kg for three weeks straight, that's a strong sign you're fueled properly. If you're consistently losing reps or having to drop the weight, you're likely undereating.

3. Good Sleep Quality and Recovery

Nutrition directly impacts your sleep architecture and recovery. Being at maintenance supports restorative sleep. You should be able to fall asleep without issue, stay asleep through the night, and wake up feeling refreshed. Both significant calorie deficits and surpluses can disrupt sleep by altering hormones like cortisol and insulin. If you're sleeping well and not feeling excessively sore from your workouts, your intake is likely dialed in.

What to Expect During the Tracking Process

Your daily weight will fluctuate. This is normal and is caused by changes in water retention from salt intake, carbohydrate levels, and workout inflammation. Do not react to daily changes. A high-sodium meal can make your weight jump 1-2kg overnight-this is water, not fat. Only pay attention to the weekly average trend, as this smooths out the daily noise and shows what is actually happening with your body mass.

It can take a full month to get a very accurate reading, especially if your first estimate was far off. Be patient with the process. Once you find your maintenance calories, remember that this number can change. If you gain or lose 5-10% of your body weight, or if your activity level changes, your maintenance level will also change.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are online TDEE calculators?

They are estimates designed to give you a starting point. Most are off by 200-500 calories because they cannot account for individual metabolic and lifestyle differences, especially NEAT. Use them for a first guess, then use real-world tracking to find your true number.

Why does my weight fluctuate so much daily?

Daily weight changes are almost always due to water retention. Factors like sodium intake, carbohydrate intake, stress levels (cortisol), and muscle soreness from workouts can all cause your body to hold more or less water. This is not fat gain or loss.

What if I miss a day of tracking or have a big off-plan meal?

Don't panic. One day of missing data or a high-calorie meal won't ruin the process. Just get back to your normal plan the next day. The goal is to analyze weekly averages, so as long as you are consistent most of the time (e.g., 6 out of 7 days), your data will still be useful.

Do I have to track my calories forever?

No. The goal of this process is to track for a short period of 2-4 weeks to establish an accurate baseline. Once you know your maintenance number, you can use that knowledge to eat more intuitively while keeping your goals in mind.

You read this far. You're serious.

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