What is caloric maintenance?

Caloric maintenance refers to the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight. This balance means you're neither gaining nor losing weight, as your caloric intake matches your caloric expenditure.

To determine your maintenance calories, experts suggest a couple of methods:

1. Estimation Equations: Use metabolic rate estimation formulas like Harris-Benedict or Cunningham equations. These consider your height, weight, sex, and age to calculate your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which accounts for approximately 70% of your total caloric expenditure. This RMR is then multiplied by an activity factor based on your activity level, from sedentary (1.2) to very active (1.9) 1 2.

2. Tracking Method: For a more accurate measure, track your caloric intake and weight daily for two weeks. Ensure you're eating normally without changing your diet. If your weight remains stable throughout this period, the average daily caloric intake is your maintenance level. This method, although more time-consuming, is often more precise as it directly relates to your body and lifestyle 1 3.

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     1

     Caloric Deficit Determination

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     2

     Caloric Flexibility

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     3

     Caloric Maintenance Insights

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     4

     Nutrition During Illness

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Additionally, to understand your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), it's important to note it includes four components: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), Exercise Activity, and the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) 4.

By understanding your maintenance calories, you can better manage your diet to either maintain, lose, or gain weight according to your health and fitness goals.