How to Calculate Your Macros for Maintenance: A Step-by-Step Guide

November 30, 2025 •

2 min read

Over 80% of individuals who lose weight eventually regain it, often due to a lack of focus on the critical maintenance phase. To secure lasting results, it's vital to learn how to calculate your macros for maintenance, ensuring your body receives the optimal fuel to sustain your progress. This comprehensive guide will show you how to calculate and manage your intake to maintain your physique successfully.

Quick Summary

This guide details how to find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and create an effective macronutrient split for maintaining your weight. Learn how to convert calorie percentages into gram-based targets for sustained success.

Key Points

Calculate Your TDEE: Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure by calculating your BMR and multiplying it by your activity factor to establish your maintenance calorie goal.
Choose a Balanced Macro Split: Opt for a balanced macronutrient ratio, such as 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat, to fuel your body and maintain weight.
Prioritize Protein Intake: Ensure sufficient protein consumption (0.8-1.0 g per pound of body weight) to help preserve muscle mass during maintenance.
Convert to Grams: Use the caloric values of macros (protein/carbs: 4 kcal/g, fat: 9 kcal/g) to convert your percentage-based split into a tangible daily gram target.
Listen to Your Body: Monitor your weight, energy levels, and overall feeling, making small adjustments to your calories or macro ratios as needed over time.
Emphasize Food Quality: Prioritize nutrient-dense, whole foods to meet your macro targets, as food quality is crucial for overall health and vitality.

Understanding Macros for Weight Maintenance

Macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—are essential for energy, repair, and function. Tracking macros is crucial for maintaining a stable weight and body composition after reaching a weight goal. This involves matching calorie intake to daily energy expenditure.

Step 1: Calculate Your Maintenance Calories

The first step to calculate your macros for maintenance is finding your daily calorie target, known as your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). TDEE is determined by calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and multiplying it by an activity factor.

Determining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

BMR is the energy your body uses at rest. For details on calculating your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and determining your TDEE with activity factors, along with examples and further steps for choosing macro splits, converting to grams, and making adjustments, please refer to {Link: MyFitnessPal Blog https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-the-rd-how-do-you-determine-the-right-macro-mix/}.

Optimizing Your Maintenance Nutrition

Consistency and food quality are crucial. Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods rather than processed options.

Optimal Food Sources for Maintenance

High-Quality Protein: Lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu.
Complex Carbohydrates: Whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, beans.
Healthy Fats: Nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil.

Conclusion

Calculating macros for maintenance provides a flexible framework for sustaining weight and health goals. The process involves determining your TDEE, choosing a macro ratio, and converting calories to grams. Prioritize consistency and food quality while monitoring your body's feedback to make necessary adjustments. This approach helps navigate maintenance successfully. For a quick estimate, consider using an online tool like the Mayo Clinic calorie calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single best ratio, as it depends on individual factors. A common and effective starting point for maintenance is a balanced split of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Athletes or those with high-intensity training may benefit from a higher carbohydrate percentage.

First, use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to find your BMR based on your age, gender, weight, and height. Then, multiply your BMR by an activity factor (e.g., 1.2 for sedentary, 1.55 for moderately active) to determine your TDEE, which is your maintenance calorie target.

Once you have your total daily calorie target and macro percentages, you can convert them to grams. For example, for a 2,000-calorie diet with a 40/30/30 split, you would have 800 calories from carbs (200g), 600 from protein (150g), and 600 from fat (~67g), using 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein, and 9 for fat.

No, macro tracking is often a tool to help you understand nutritional content and portion sizes. After a period of tracking, many people develop an intuitive sense of how to maintain their intake without constant monitoring.

If your weight starts to fluctuate or your energy levels change, you may need to adjust. If you notice weight gain, a slight calorie reduction or a shift toward higher protein might be needed. For low energy, increasing carbohydrates could help.

Protein is crucial for preserving and repairing muscle mass, especially after exercise. A higher protein intake also promotes satiety, helping to manage hunger and prevent overeating, which is key for successful weight maintenance.

On days with more intense training, you can slightly increase your carbohydrate intake to fuel your workouts and aid recovery. On less active days, you might reduce your carb intake slightly while keeping protein consistent. The key is to balance your overall intake over the week.

Yes, it is highly important. While hitting your macro targets is a good start, prioritizing nutrient-dense, whole foods is essential for getting the necessary vitamins and minerals for optimal health. Meeting macro goals with processed foods can lead to nutrient deficiencies and health issues.