Loading Calculator...
Please wait a moment
Please wait a moment
Calculate your maintenance calories (TDEE) to maintain your current weight. Get personalized macro recommendations and learn how to find your true maintenance level.
The calculator provides an estimate, but your true maintenance calories can only be determined through tracking and observation. Here's how to find your actual maintenance level:
Reverse dieting is the gradual process of increasing calories after a period of dieting. It helps restore metabolic rate, rebuild muscle, and prevent rapid fat gain when returning to maintenance.
Pro tip: A successful reverse diet takes patience. The slower you go, the more muscle you can build and the less fat you'll gain. Don't rush back to maintenance.
Calorie cycling means eating different amounts on different days while maintaining the same weekly average. This can improve adherence, support performance, and potentially improve body composition.
Maintenance calories (TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the number of calories you need to eat per day to maintain your current weight. It includes your BMR plus all activity and exercise.
Calculators provide estimates within ±10-20% for most people. Your actual maintenance can only be determined through tracking your weight while eating a consistent number of calories for 2-4 weeks.
Not necessarily. As long as your weekly average equals maintenance, you can cycle calories higher on training days and lower on rest days. What matters is the weekly total.
Daily fluctuations of 2-5 lbs are normal due to water, food volume, and hormones. Focus on weekly average weight. If it stays stable (±0.5-1 lb) over 2-4 weeks, you're at maintenance.
Yes, especially if you're new to training or returning after a break. It's called body recomposition. Progress is slower than with a surplus but you can gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously.
It depends on your goals: Eat less (deficit) to lose fat. Eat more (surplus) to gain muscle faster. Stay at maintenance for body recomposition or to take a break from dieting.
Yes. It changes with age (decreases ~1-2% per decade), muscle mass (more muscle = higher TDEE), activity level, and after significant weight changes. Recalculate every 10-15 lbs of weight change.
After a diet, stay at maintenance for at least 4-8 weeks (or 1 week per month you dieted) before cutting again. This restores metabolism and hormones. You can maintain indefinitely if happy with your physique.
This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only. Individual calorie needs vary based on genetics, hormones, medical conditions, and other factors not captured by formulas. Consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider for personalized nutrition advice, especially if you have medical conditions, are pregnant/breastfeeding, or taking medications that affect metabolism.