December 5, 2025
Maintenance calories are the intake where your weight trend holds steady. Here’s how to estimate quickly and verify confidently—no endless formulas required.
Start with a quick estimate, then verify using a short weight-trend check.
Trends, not single weigh-ins, determine maintenance—smooth noise with 7-day averages.
Control variables like steps, sodium, and sleep to improve accuracy fast.
Adjust in small 100–200 calorie steps based on weekly weight direction.
We ranked maintenance-calorie methods by how quickly they lead to an accurate number (speed-to-accurate), expected error after 7 days, and the effort required. The top methods blend a reasonable estimate with a short verification period using your real weight trend.
Your maintenance calories (TDEE) are the foundation for fat loss, muscle gain, or recomposition. Nail this number once, and every future goal becomes simpler and faster.
Balances speed and precision by anchoring to your real response, not just a formula.
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Fastest way to start; accuracy improves once paired with a 7-day trend check.
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Weigh daily after using the bathroom, before eating or drinking, in similar clothing. Use a weekly average to smooth hydration and digestion noise. Avoid reacting to single-day spikes.
Keep salt and fiber intake similar day to day during your 7-day check. Big swings in either can shift water weight and mask your real trend.
Match steps and general movement daily. A 3–5k step swing can alter energy burn meaningfully. Set a realistic daily step floor and stick to it.
Keep workouts consistent. If you add or remove sessions, your maintenance changes. When training fluctuates, recheck maintenance after 1–2 weeks.
Poor sleep and high stress can increase water retention and appetite, confusing scale trends. Aim for regular sleep timing and duration during your test week.
Estimates are starting lines; the 7-day weight trend is the finish line. Your body’s response is the only arbiter of maintenance.
NEAT (non-exercise activity) can swing daily burn by hundreds of calories. Consistent steps simplify the calibration process.
Small, methodical calorie adjustments beat aggressive changes. ±100–200 calorie nudges reveal true maintenance without overshooting.
Scale noise is normal. Weekly averages and consistent conditions convert noise into a clear signal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people can confirm maintenance within 7 days using daily weigh-ins and a weekly average, assuming consistent steps, sodium, and training. A second week can lock it in if week one had unusual days.
Precision helps during the test week. You don’t need to track forever, but for 7 days, log as accurately as practical and keep routines steady. After maintenance is confirmed, you can switch to simpler habits if preferred.
Ignore single days and use the 7-day average. If the average is within ±0.25% of your body weight compared to the previous week, you’re effectively at maintenance under those conditions.
Yes. Keep meals and portions consistent for a week, match your steps and training, and weigh daily. If the weekly average drifts up or down, adjust portions slightly and reassess the following week.
Reassess after notable changes in body weight (±5–10 lbs or ±2–4 kg), training volume, job activity, step count, or after a dieting phase. A single 7-day check is usually enough.
Skip the spreadsheet spiral: pick a reasonable estimate, run a 7-day weight-trend check, and fine-tune in 100–200 calorie steps. Control the variables you can, trust your weekly average, and you’ll lock in a reliable maintenance calorie target—fast.
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Incorporates age, sex, weight, and height for a tailored baseline, but still needs real-life verification.
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Device energy estimates vary; combining with intake logs and weight trends tightens the number.
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When recent weight was flat and intake tracked, you already have your number.
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High-quality baseline for resting needs, but total daily energy still depends on your real activity and NEAT.
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Not a first estimate—this is the refinement layer for unusual responses.
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