How much calories do you eat to maintain weight?

yayhappygirly

It would be much appreciated if everyone could write an estimate of the calories they eat to maintain?
Please include your height and exercise activity!

quiksylver296

2200-2300

41 year old female
5'9"
Currently 177 pounds

I lift heavy 3X a week, and cardio (5k runs, usually) once or twice a week.

I am on a "diet break" and maintaining for the summer. Plan to go back to deficit calories of 1930 in a few weeks, and lose another 12-15 pounds.

TavistockToad

or just use MFP to give you YOUR estimated maintenance?

angel7472

44
5'5"
130
Lift 3 x a week and aim for 43 miles a week (10,000 steps daily)
Been maintaining since October 2014 on 2300 calories daily.

nxd10

I eat around 1400 and I net 1270. I do at least 30 minutes active exercise/12 hours standing/330 calories activity every day - that means an hour walk and my regular activities. I'm 57, 5'10", 157 pounds. I've maintained 4 years.

kirstenb13

I think this varies widely and won't really tell you anything. I maintain on around 2700-3000/day but I'm 5'11, 150 lbs and apparently pretty active compared to most people. So your numbers might be very different and the easiest way to get them is to calculate them from your current intake and loss, the difference will be your increase to maintenance.

Amanda_1973

So once this goal is met MFP will give an option for maintenance mode? What if I want to take off say an additional 5-6 lbs beyond that goal I have set, is there an option to change that too? I'm like 2 lbs away from this and it's driving me nuts, I want to reach it so bad.

mommarnurse

Amanda_1973 wrote: »

So once this goal is met MFP will give an option for maintenance mode? What if I want to take off say an additional 5-6 lbs beyond that goal I have set, is there an option to change that too? I'm like 2 lbs away from this and it's driving me nuts, I want to reach it so bad.

There's ways to change your goal at any moment. it's under "Goals" on the app.

kirstenb13

Goal weight and losing per week/maintenance calories are completely separate. The goal you set affects exactly nothing. Your daily calories depend on whether you set it to lose x/maintain/gain x and your body stats so if you are not happy with your weight yet just keep it set to losing.

ShrinkinMel

Well 1800-2200 is working as my deficit. I do cardio 5-6 days a week minimum. And heavyish machine lifting(low reps high sets) about 4 times a week(alternating upper and lower body). But my weight loss still has a long way to go so I suspect my maintenance can be even lower than that in the future. I'll just follow MFPs guidelines when time is near.

MonkeyMel21

My maintenance calories that MFP set me are 1890. When I work out I usually eat all the exercise calories back too. I calculated my TDEE once and it was around 2200, that seems about right.
I'm 5'5". 136-139. 31 yo.

Josh_lol

23, Male, Pretty active job (on my feet lifting heavy stuff for 37.5 hrs a week) Run 3-4 5km runs a week. I currently eat like 2800-3800 calories a day but I've been losing 1lb a week doing that. So just add 500 calories a day onto that for an estimate.

cnbbnc

I'm 44yo. 5'4 and 116lbs.
I lift heavy 4xs/wk and do light cardio 2-3days/wk. I average about 7k steps/day.

My maintenance calories are 1700-1750.

itsthehumidity

I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but I'll tell you anyway.

TDEE (maintenance calories) is probably around 2200 for me.

Male, 28, 5'7", 155 pounds. I lift weights 3-4 times a week, and I average 10,000 steps per day.

Noreenmarie1234

I run 4-5x a week, not very active otherwise, 5'4 105 2200-2600

FitPhillygirl

I'm 5'7 and 131. I am very active and have to eat at least 2000 plus calories a day, otherwise my weight goes down again. I've been maintaining for a little over 5 years so far.

BernieMBurke

5'10", male, 58 years old, 165 lbs. I average around 15,000 steps a day and eat around 2,500 calories. I'm still fairly new to maintenance (been maintaining since January 2016) so I don't have this down yet.

victoria_1024

I'm 5'2.5" and 125 lbs. MFP gives me a goal of 1700 calories to maintain. However if I actually stick to that number I lose weight so I usually eat closer to 1900-2000 a day. I think because I'm more active now that summer is here.

Francl27

2200ish. 5'5", 135 pounds, 38yo. I exercise one hour a day in average (walking, biking, walking at an incline, rowing, some weights).

LivingtheLeanDream

2100-2300 cals / 5ft 2 1/4" / 130lbs / 47yrs.
90 mins a day x 6 days (run/walk/lift)

wdyh2l

F/5'2/120lb/27yrs
My TDEE is ~2450 calories per day

RoxieDawn

47 year old female
weight 112
height 5'3 3/4" (just under 5'4")
maintain on 1650

run/walk/lift

RoxieDawn

OP can you share yours too? I am a bit curious as what this study is for??

ForecasterJason

5'8"
120-123 lbs
Moderate activity level (cardio) with 8,000-10,000 steps a day, some weight lifting as well
2300-2400 calories a day to maintain

katepig54

I'm 41 female. 124 pounds. gym 2 -3 times per week. weights only - never cardio. 1200 calories per day to maintain. Its impossible. I mean really - where is the room for wine with that daily amount of calories. the answer is cardio.......... oh and im 5foot 5- there is no way i can eat so little for the rest of my life. i have never weighed a lot - but i do want to stay well under nine stone. frustrating.

JustMissTracy

Hey there! I'm almost 47 years old, 5'2, and maintaining at 120 lbs after losing 78 lbs. If I don't workout, I eat about 1300-1400...on days I workout it's usually between 1600-1900. I do cardio 4-6 times a week, and lift 2-3 times if I have time

micropreemiemum

21 year old female, 5ft 1in, 105lbs

I maintain at around 1580calories although i have lost 3lbs in a month as i struggle to eat that much. I workout about 5times a week for up to an hour, HIIT and light strength training. I have a toddler and run a farm so i am always busy. I never eat back my exercise calories

chocolate_owl

27, 5'5", 125 lbs

Sedentary during the week, lightly active on weekends. 1 hr of exercise 6 days a week. Right now it's 4 lifting days and 2 running days, but I'm about to drop a lifting day for a running day. I maintain on 1800-2000.

rosebarnalice

55, 5'7" -- about 1,800 calories per day (plus exercise calories if I work out)

DM01234

5'6" - about 1750 calories per day. I don't intentionally eat my exercise calories back, but it's nice to know I have them in reserve for the stuff I enjoy from time to time over the course of a week.

UPSGregg

I'm still experimenting with my maintenance calories. I'm not sure what the APP recommends is accurate. My problem is that I had gotten so use to eating 1400 calories spread out over 5 times per day. Plus, I'm still drinking water instead of snacking like I did when I was still borderline obese. Now I'm having to force myself to eat more. I'm set for 2200 calories but usually end up way under that. Especially on my cardio days. I obviously need to make some adjustments.

I also lost two more pounds during my first week of maintenance! Not to worry though. I'm still within the healthy weight range for my age and height. I'm 168 lbs, 5' 10", and 39 years old.