Maintenance meal plan: eat well at your weight without counting
A maintenance meal plan keeps you at the calories your body uses, so your weight stays steady while you eat well. Estimate your maintenance from a standard formula and your activity, aim for about 1.6 g of protein per kilogram, and plan the week so busy nights don't turn into takeout. Cauli plans a maintenance week for you and keeps you inside a steady range.
Key takeaways
- Maintenance is an estimate first, then confirmed by a steady weight.
- About 1.6 g of protein per kg keeps meals filling and supports training.
- The win is fewer decisions: a planned week, one list, less waste.
- Variety keeps maintenance sustainable for years, not weeks.
Your maintenance target, worked through
Example: a 30-year-old man, 180 cm and 80 kg, on his feet a lot (1.4) and training 4 days a week (+0.20). Resting estimate 1,780 kcal × 1.60 = about 2,850 kcal to maintain.
| Goal | Starts from | Daily target | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lose fat | about 550 kcal under | 2,300 kcal | 150 g (2.0 g × 75 kg, goal weight 75 kg) |
| Build muscle | about 250 kcal over | 3,100 kcal | 145 g (1.8 g × 80 kg, current weight is lower than the goal) |
| Recomp | about 10% under | 2,560 kcal | 160 g (2.0 g × 80 kg, no goal weight) |
| Maintain | maintenance | 2,850 kcal | 130 g (1.6 g × 80 kg, no goal weight) |
An illustration of the method on Methods and sources, not advice for you. Cauli computes yours from your own answers, or you can enter your own numbers.
How to plan meals at maintenance
- Start from an estimate and watch your weight for three or four weeks. Adjust only if the trend moves.
- Plan the week around your schedule. Batch on a free evening, Leftovers on busy nights, fresh Cooks when you have time.
- Rotate cuisines and proteins. Maintenance lasts longer when meals don't repeat into boredom. Our protein-per-calorie table lists 59 proteins and sides to rotate through.
- Use what you have. Plan meals around what's in the fridge before you shop.
- Keep treats in the plan. An evening treat that fits the day beats a "cheat day".
How Cauli plans a maintenance week
- Targets: your estimated maintenance and 1.6 g/kg protein, or your own numbers.
- Balanced dishes composed for your tastes, time, equipment and budget, with an optional Food focus such as high fiber or whole foods for variety.
- A fixed steady range for your weekly Weigh-in, so you know you're on track without counting.
- An Evening treat, if you want one, sized inside the day.
- Kitchen photos so the week uses what you already have and what spoils first goes early.
Cauli is on the App Store for iPhone. It's a planning tool, not medical advice.
Questions people ask
How do I find my maintenance calories?
Estimate your resting energy (Cauli uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation), multiply by an activity factor, then check it against your weight over a few weeks. If your weight holds steady, that's your maintenance.
How much protein should I eat to maintain?
Cauli sets 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight for maintaining, and plans every day to reach at least 90% of it.
Why plan meals if I'm not trying to change my weight?
Because deciding is the tiring part. A planned week means no 6 pm fridge stare, less food waste and steady energy, without counting anything.
Can teenagers use Cauli?
People aged 16 and 17 can use Cauli to eat well at their current weight. Maintaining is the only goal available until 18.
