What are maintenance calories?
Maintenance is the calorie level where you neither gain nor lose — it's the same as your TDEE. It's the anchor point for any goal.
Why maintenance matters
Knowing maintenance lets you make deliberate choices: a small deficit to lose, a small surplus to gain. It's also a healthy place to settle between goals.
Finding your real number
The estimate is a starting point. If your weight holds steady at a different intake over a few weeks, that's your true maintenance — trust the trend over the formula.
Maintenance isn't 'doing nothing' — it's a skill. Eating to hold steady, calmly and without restriction, is a win worth keeping.