What are your real maintenance calories?

2

Replies

  • ILoveMyHotFatBody
    ILoveMyHotFatBody Posts: 10 Member
    I maintain at around 2500 calories per day.
  • popsicklestar
    popsicklestar Posts: 166 Member
    Unfortunately, my maintenance calories are lower than what I was hoping they would be, but they actually match up really closely with what the online calculators give me. My maintenance calories are 1500. I usually eat between 1600 to 1850 due to eating back exercise calories. The TDEE calculators (which already include exercise calories) give me 1800, so it's pretty much exactly the same.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    Currently maintaining (within 5 lbs) at about 2700 daily. I am not at a goal weight, not even close. I was in a deficit for a long time now I am just focusing on strength for a while. Might do a cut in a couple months, but it's nice to know I could do it and eat 2400 calories.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    You have a certain amount of control, in my opinion, over your maintenance calories. Based on your level of activity.

    I only have a few pounds to go (maybe, maybe not - its not so much about the # on the scale for me now as my body composition) and I use an activity tracker which estimates total daily burn. I know its an estimate, but I aim for 2000-2100 burn a day. It is not terribly hard to achieve this, yet I do have to work for it especially Mon-Fri with a desk job. I'm now eating at a slight deficit but figure 2000 or so is a good maintenance level.

    I'm 5'5.5", 39, female, and now ~135 pounds.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I have a sedentary job, am pretty light (~118 pounds), and consequently maintain pretty low, around 1500 calories. But I've found the best way for me to deal with it, because I'm not interested in making time to further increase my exercise, is to eat at a slight deficit on weekdays so I can be a little freer on weekends. I don't use it as an excuse to pig out, but it's much easier to go out and enjoy dinner and drinks with friends if I have an extra 500 calories or so to play with. Eating 1200-ish calories through the week isn't difficult for me so I don't mind doing it in exchange for more carefree weekends.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Thanks for sharing your experiences!
    I't really interesting to hear how everyone differs... I must admit that I'm a bit scared of ever reaching my goal because quite a few people have told me that maintaining is even more difficult than losing...

    I think it's important to set new goals when you reach maintenance. It's easy to get complacent if your only goal is to stay the same. A lot of people (myself included) have success with setting fitness goals in maintenance. So I'm not just trying to maintain my weight, I'm trying to lift more weight or run longer distances or whatever it may be.
    I would like to reiterate this. I just maintained for my first year and continued to track and workout because "that's what I should do", but it was getting to be a bit of drag. I am trying to lift more and run faster/longer and set goal that are reachable but challenging. Having goals really re-energized me, and I eat to meet those goals.
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
    I'm one of those rare people whose maintenance is probably around 1200. I am older, small, and female --55 and 5'1.5". According to MFP, if I get to my goal weight of 114, my maintenance could be between 1320 and 1480, which really isn't much over 1200. I've been netting 1200 for a long time with one "Cheat day" a week, and I've been plateau'd at 120 for about 3 months, which tells me those maintenance numbers are about right.

    So true! I'm over 50 myself, 5"2" and at goal weight of 115-117, my numbers are not too far from yours. I find I can maintain at 1200 plus exercise calories. If I consume more than 1500 on 3 or more consecutive days I gain weight. I would have to exercise a lot to be able to eat more but I've learned to focus on things that I can sustain long term. So everything in moderation works for me.
  • TriLifter
    TriLifter Posts: 1,283 Member
    MFPs maintenance cals are about 2-300 too low for me.
    this, real maintenance for me = 2500 (measured using a bodymedia device and after weeks of eating at maintenance and not gaining or losing) , mfp has me at 2200, mfp consistently underestimates my tdee

    Are you changing the activity level in MFP? Set to very active, the calories given to me by MFP are spot on what my FitBit tells me my TDEE is.
  • anna1m
    anna1m Posts: 29 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?

    Any calculator is just an estimate. That one is low for me. But also keep in mind that it's super vague-- 3 times per week exercise could mean 20 minutes of walking to one person and 90 minutes of lifting to another. Also if you're looking at the maintenance levels other people are listing they probably are including a good bit of physical activity. That looks like a sedentary TDEE level.

    The best strategy imo is to pick one to start with and then adjust every 4-6 weeks as needed.
  • anna1m
    anna1m Posts: 29 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?

    Any calculator is just an estimate. That one is low for me. But also keep in mind that it's super vague-- 3 times per week exercise could mean 20 minutes of walking to one person and 90 minutes of lifting to another. Also if you're looking at the maintenance levels other people are listing they probably are including a good bit of physical activity. That looks like a sedentary TDEE level.

    The best strategy imo is to pick one to start with and then adjust every 4-6 weeks as needed.

    Nope it is for activity 3 times a week!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?

    Any calculator is just an estimate. That one is low for me. But also keep in mind that it's super vague-- 3 times per week exercise could mean 20 minutes of walking to one person and 90 minutes of lifting to another. Also if you're looking at the maintenance levels other people are listing they probably are including a good bit of physical activity. That looks like a sedentary TDEE level.

    The best strategy imo is to pick one to start with and then adjust every 4-6 weeks as needed.

    Nope it is for activity 3 times a week!

    You must be tiny. What are your stats? Are you trying to lose weight?
  • SharpieV
    SharpieV Posts: 26 Member
    I find that MFP plus eating back exercise cals has been spot on for me. Then again, my 'true' TDEE may well be higher but I probably underestimate the portions that I consume and put into MFP too, so they at least cancel out to spot on, which is good enough for me!
  • anna1m
    anna1m Posts: 29 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?

    Any calculator is just an estimate. That one is low for me. But also keep in mind that it's super vague-- 3 times per week exercise could mean 20 minutes of walking to one person and 90 minutes of lifting to another. Also if you're looking at the maintenance levels other people are listing they probably are including a good bit of physical activity. That looks like a sedentary TDEE level.

    The best strategy imo is to pick one to start with and then adjust every 4-6 weeks as needed.

    Nope it is for activity 3 times a week!

    You must be tiny. What are your stats? Are you trying to lose weight?

    I am almost 5 foot 2 and about 103-105lbs. I am trying to maintain and in the fall start a bulk. I would like to be and look stronger!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    A lot of people find this TDEE calculator more accurate for estimating maintenance calories.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I'm not on maintenance yet but for me it estimates my maintenance calories to be 1800 before accounting for exercise and I currently eat between 1300 and 1400.

    When I use your TDEE calculator my BMR is 1136 and my TDEE is 1561. From what I have been reading on this site, that seems pretty low. How accurate is this?

    Calculators are formulas based on population averages. Unless you happen to fall right into the average chances are your TDEE is different. See how some people here mentioned they burn more than what MFP tells them (metabolism faster than average) and how I said I actually burn less (metabolism slower than average). You may be in either team. The only way to know is to pay for it or test it out for yourself.

    I did it through scooby spreadsheet, but you will have to be very diligent eating as close to target as you can manage for a whole month.

    Here is how I did it step by step:
    1. Go here:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
    Enter your data, pick "lose fat gain muscle" if you are maintaining and base your activity level on your job/daily activity other than exercise ( you will be adding exercise later). It doesn't matter which formula you pick, you are going to be coming up with your own number anyway so just keep it at default.

    2. Go here and follow instruction:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator-calibration/

    3. Download the spreadsheet from here:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/download/WeightCharting.xls

    4. Go here and save it to your bookmarks:
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/net-versus-gross-calorie-burn-conversion-calculator.aspx

    5. Log your weight every single day in the spreadsheet religiously and keep the calories you eat every day as close to the target given to you in the first step as you can humanly manage. Eat back your NET exercise calories. To find out your net calories: 1) Enter your exercise into MFP 2)Take the calories it gives you 3) Enter them into the website you bookmarked in step four, into the "gross" field 4)Eat back the resulting number.

    6. After a month the line in your spreadsheet needs to be completely horizontal if you are maintaining, if it's not then your metabolism is faster/slower than average. Enter your info into the page from step 2 and get your "Calorie Correction Factor". Add it to your TDEE number from step 1 and you will get your own individual maintenance calorie value.

    Edit: If you feel it's hard to eat the exact same calories every day go for weekly calories. Just multiply your given TDEE by 7 and that would be your budget for the week.
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,217 Member
    Thanks for sharing your experiences!
    I't really interesting to hear how everyone differs... I must admit that I'm a bit scared of ever reaching my goal because quite a few people have told me that maintaining is even more difficult than losing...

    I think there is a perception that maintenance is harder than losing weight because maintenance has no endpoint. If you've changed the underlying habits that led to your weight gain and have healthier habits in place, maintenance can be pretty easy.

    I maintain on 1800 to 2400 calories a day, depending in my activity level. I am 52 years old.
  • butterbear1980
    butterbear1980 Posts: 234 Member
    MFP was about right for me. I did 12 weeks at maintnence. I'm 5'3" 140 lb large frame female. Very active. 2300-2500/day. Currently loosing.5lb/week at 2030. Active job + 3 kids+ cross fit 4xs/week. I hope a few years from now for my maintnence calories to be higher.... getting the metabolism on fire is one of my goals. Training hard and with consistent nutrition I have a lofty goal of gaining 5# of muscle in the next two years. I've run the numbers and if I cut 10# fat and added 5# muscle ending up with around 18% bf and maintain at 150 cals more per day...like an extra glass of milk....so it won't be a huge difference but I'll take it!
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    MFP underestimates mine by about 250-300 calories, and a lot of other calculators underestimate mine as well. I think there are enough variations from person to person that make calorie estimates very subject to a fairly wide margin of error.
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
    When I went into maintenance last spring, I found that it was 50-100 calories too low for me, which made sense since I'd been losing weight at a slightly faster rate than predicted by MFP calculations all along.

    I'm trying to lose a bit again and so far haven't lost anything (in a month or so). It is strange but I did just take up heavy (for me) weightlifting, so I am hoping this is water weight.

    It's interesting to see that most others who have posted here found MFP maintenance calories to be a little too low for them, too.
  • popsicklestar
    popsicklestar Posts: 166 Member
    According to online calculators, my maintenance calories are 1560 to 1780, and I've found that to be extremely accurate. Was really hoping they would by higher, but no such luck.
  • Rose6300
    Rose6300 Posts: 232 Member
    edited November 2014
    MFP sets me at 1510. My actual is 1850 (based on 3 months of maintaining, which ties in with most TDEE calculators). I am a 5'5.5, 128 lb., 51 year old female who lifts 4x a week and does no intentional cardio.
  • Joanjett88
    Joanjett88 Posts: 87 Member
    I'm still trying to figure mine out so it helps to see what everyone else is experiencing. I'm 5'7" @ 135 lbs and MFP has me at 1970 for lightly active. I've just recently hit my goal weight so I've been trying to increase by 100-200 calories for a week at a time and then reassess. I just hate waiting through the fluctuations to see a trend, lol.

    I know that my activity level has dropped do to busy schedule and cold weather, so I'm thinking that I might top out at around 1700-1800 due to the fact that I work a desk job.

    One thing that I have noticed is that I am definitely hungrier now. I used to be able to eat 1200-1300 calories and be FULL, but now that I'm increasing my calorie intake all I want to do is eat more. I think it's because I've increased my carb intake and all I want to do is eat more carbs. If all I eat is meat and veggies it's hard to meet my calorie goal, however I'm a sucker for carbs and if I eat some I want to eat a lot, lol.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I've got months upon months of food and daily weigh in data. Analysis of my personal data points to a TDEE range of around 2000-2100 (as long as I'm doing my 3-4 hrs of training per week), which is darn close to what most online calculators predict for a "moderately active" person with my stats (5'6", 138-141 lbs range, 38yo).



  • JagerLewis
    JagerLewis Posts: 427 Member
    MFP tells me 1660, my TDEE tells me more, so for me to avoid confusion I went with MFP and eat my exercise calories. I've been maintaining for a little over a month now, I know it's not long, but so far so good. :)
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    MFP gives me about 1970 on a very active level, but usually my activity level increases that by about 1000kcal.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited November 2014
    I'm maintaining on 2000 cals. Fitbit tells me I can eat 2400. MFP tells me I can eat at 1750 plus exercise cals which then would average 2300 when it syncs with Fitbit. I am not brave enough YET to eat that much nor do I feel I need extra cals.

    I'm 5 ft 3 and 135lbs
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I am 5'8", 56 years old and my maintenance range is 125-135, but I generally stay within 128 to 131 after 3 years of losing and maintaining. Because my activity is set to sedentary, my stay at this weight calories is about 1530. I am losing a few extra pounds with fear of holidays coming upon us. I try to get between 300 and a 1000 calories of exercise/activity burned every day.
  • firefoxxie
    firefoxxie Posts: 381 Member
    Depending on how active I am...2100-2400
  • FrankieFrench1
    FrankieFrench1 Posts: 289 Member
    My maintenance is ment to be 1800 but given im 5'11' that doesn't seem right.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited November 2014
    The first year I maintained on 250 calories less than MFP said I should. Then I suddenly lost 5 pounds and have maintained that at exactly what MFP says I should. That's been another 8 months.

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