How to Calculate Maintenance Calories (Mifflin-St Jeor Explained)

Start with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation

This Mifflin St Jeor calculator is the same calorie calculator LINA uses to estimate maintenance calories and macro targets.

Maintenance calories start with your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Mifflin-St Jeor is widely used because it tracks measured energy needs better than older formulas for most adults.

The equation is: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age(years) + 5 for men, or minus 161 for women. This is only your resting baseline.

Pick an honest activity multiplier

Multiply BMR by your activity level to estimate maintenance calories. Common multipliers: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light activity, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active.

Choose based on your average week, not your best week. If you lift 3-4 days and walk regularly, moderate is often closer than light.

Validate with real data

Track intake and body weight for two weeks. If weight is stable, your estimate is close. If it trends up or down, adjust by 100-150 calories and reassess.

Maintenance is not a single number. It is a range that shifts with steps, training volume, and sleep.

How many calories should I eat per day?

Start with maintenance calories, the amount that keeps your weight steady when your routine is stable.

Maintenance calories vary by age, height, weight, and activity level. Use a calculator for a starting point, then adjust based on weight trends over a couple of weeks.

How many calories to lose weight?

A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than you burn. A typical 300-500 calorie deficit below maintenance is a common starting point.

Focus on a pace you can repeat week after week instead of extreme cuts that are hard to sustain.

How to calculate my macros

This is macro calculation after finding maintenance calories, so use your maintenance number as the base for a simple macro calculator.

• Set protein first based on body weight and goal.
• Choose a minimum fat intake you can hit daily.
• Subtract protein and fat calories from your maintenance total.
• Use the remaining calories for carbs.
• Adjust if your weekly trend changes.

See the macro tracker app and protein tracker app.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

If you are asking how many calories should I eat to lose weight, start from maintenance and pick a moderate deficit you can repeat.

Avoid aggressive cuts. Track your weekly trend and adjust in small steps instead of chasing perfect days.

• Start with 300–500 kcal below maintenance.
• Emphasize trend tracking over perfection.
• Labels and estimates vary; consistency wins.

Protein intake matters just as much as calories.

Use our weight loss tracker app to stay consistent.

How many calories should I eat to maintain my weight?

Maintenance means your average trend stays stable over 2–3 weeks, not that every day looks identical.

Adjust by about 100–150 kcal based on your weekly trend and keep the change steady. The calorie tracker app helps you track the averages.