Energy balance—consuming calories equal to the amount your body expends—is the foundation of weight management. The number of calories required to maintain your current weight is known as your maintenance level. Confusion often arises when determining how daily workouts and intentional exercise fit into this calculation. Standard calorie estimation methods often incorporate physical activity in a way that can lead to miscalculations, making it difficult to find the true balance point.
Defining Maintenance Calories
Maintenance calories are formally known as your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which represents the total number of calories your body burns daily. TDEE is composed of four distinct components, the largest being the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR accounts for the energy required for fundamental life-sustaining functions, such as breathing and circulation. This typically makes up 60% to 75% of your total daily burn.
A smaller percentage of TDEE is dedicated to the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), which is the energy expended to digest, absorb, and process consumed nutrients. The remaining expenditure is activity-related energy, divided into two parts. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) includes spontaneous movement like fidgeting and walking. The final portion is Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT), which represents the calories burned during structured, intentional workouts.
The Activity Multiplier vs. Dedicated Exercise
Whether maintenance calories include exercise depends entirely on the calculation method used. Most online calculators estimate your TDEE by first calculating your BMR and then multiplying it by a generalized activity factor. This activity multiplier, which ranges from “sedentary” (1.2) to “very active” (1.725–1.9), attempts to estimate both your NEAT and your EAT based on a generalized weekly schedule.
For example, selecting the “moderately active” multiplier (around 1.55) suggests moderate exercise three to five days per week. If you choose this multiplier and then manually track and add back the calories burned during a gym session, you are effectively double-counting that exercise. This common error results in an artificially high maintenance number, which can inadvertently lead to weight gain. The multiplier is a broad estimate designed to simplify a complex physiological process.
The distinction between general movement (NEAT) and dedicated exercise (EAT) explains why the multiplier can be imprecise. A person with a desk job who trains hard daily might have a similar TDEE to a construction worker who does no formal exercise but is constantly moving. The general multiplier attempts to average these differences but is not a personalized measurement. For the most accurate result, you should choose a method that clearly separates resting and active energy expenditure.
Two Methods for Accurate Calculation
There are two primary methods for estimating maintenance calories, each with varying levels of precision. The first, simpler approach is the All-In Multiplier method, where you choose the activity factor that best describes your weekly routine and multiply it by your calculated BMR. This method is quick and provides a starting point, relying on an honest assessment of your activity level. If you use this method, you must not add back calories burned from individual workouts.
The second method, which offers greater precision for those with a structured training schedule, is the Sedentary Base + Manual Add approach. This technique begins by calculating your BMR and then multiplying it by the lowest “sedentary” activity factor, typically 1.2. This provides an estimated daily calorie burn that accounts only for basic daily movement and digestion. You then manually calculate and add the calories burned from your dedicated workouts to this daily baseline.
To manually calculate the calories burned during a specific exercise session, you can use the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) value for that activity. The MET value represents the energy cost of an activity as a multiple of your resting metabolic rate. One MET is roughly equal to burning one calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour.
You can obtain a reasonably precise number of calories burned by multiplying the MET value of your activity, your body weight in kilograms, and the duration of your session in hours. For example, running has a higher MET value than walking, reflecting a greater energy expenditure.
Using Your Maintenance Number for Goal Setting
Once established, your maintenance calorie number becomes the baseline for achieving any body composition goal. To pursue weight loss, you must consistently consume fewer calories than your TDEE, creating a caloric deficit. A common starting point is to reduce intake by 500 calories per day, which generally supports a sustainable weight loss of about one pound per week.
Conversely, if your goal is to gain weight or build muscle, you must create a caloric surplus by consuming more calories than your TDEE. This surplus provides the necessary energy and building blocks for muscle tissue growth. The calculated maintenance number is always an estimate, so consistent tracking of your weight over two to three weeks is necessary. If your weight trends up or down when you are aiming for maintenance, you must adjust your daily calorie goal accordingly.