Calorie Targets for a 2,800 kcal Maintenance Level
A maintenance burn of 2,800 kcal per day is the pivot every goal hangs from. Losing or gaining weight is modelled here as a fixed daily offset from that pivot: 7,700 kcal per kilogram of body fat, spread evenly across the week. The table lists the daily target for each of the seven goals the main calculator supports, then splits the maintenance intake into protein, fat and carbohydrate grams.
Daily targets run between 1,700 and 3,350 kcal across the seven goals, a spread of 1,650 kcal that follows directly from the 7,700 kcal-per-kilogram model. None of the seven drops under the 1,200 kcal floor — even the 1 kg/week step still leaves 1,700 kcal. Split at maintenance, the day is 140 g protein (560 kcal), 78 g fat (700 kcal) and 385 g carbohydrate (1,540 kcal, 55% of the day).
Daily targets by goal
| Goal | Daily change | Target intake | Weekly change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lose 1.0 kg/week | −1100 kcal/day | 1,700 kcal/day | 1.00 kg |
| Lose 0.75 kg/week | −825 kcal/day | 1,975 kcal/day | 0.75 kg |
| Lose 0.5 kg/week | −550 kcal/day | 2,250 kcal/day | 0.50 kg |
| Lose 0.25 kg/week | −275 kcal/day | 2,525 kcal/day | 0.25 kg |
| Maintain weight | ±0 kcal/day | 2,800 kcal/day | — |
| Gain 0.25 kg/week | +275 kcal/day | 3,075 kcal/day | 0.25 kg |
| Gain 0.5 kg/week | +550 kcal/day | 3,350 kcal/day | 0.50 kg |
Values are rounded to whole kilocalories. Intakes under 1,200 kcal per day are flagged because very low targets make it hard to hold muscle and hit micronutrient needs — a slower step usually serves better.
Macro split at maintenance
At the 2,800 kcal maintenance level, the standard split used across this site — protein anchored to bodyweight at 2 g/kg, fat at a quarter of calories, carbohydrate filling the remainder — produces:
| Macro | Grams per day | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| Protein — 70 kg × 2 g | 140 g | 560 kcal |
| Fat — 25% of calories | 78 g | 700 kcal |
| Carbohydrates — remainder | 385 g | 1540 kcal |
Protein and carbohydrate carry 4 kcal per gram, fat 9. Swap in your own bodyweight on the calculator page for a personal figure; the structure stays the same.
If you eat in a 16:8 window
Time-restricted eating at 16:8 does not change the daily total, only the schedule. At this intake the window fits three meals of about 933 kcal each, or two larger meals near 1,400 kcal if that suits the fasting span better.
Frequently asked questions
Is 2,800 kcal a realistic maintenance figure?
It sits in the common adult band. Maintenance equals TDEE, which for most adults lands between roughly 1,600 and 3,000 kcal per day depending on body size and activity, so a maintenance intake of 2,800 kcal fits the middle of that range. The personal figure comes from BMR times an activity factor, which the main calculator computes directly.
Why is the 1 kg/week target so much lower than the others?
Each 0.25 kg/week step moves the daily target by about 275 kcal, because a kilogram of body fat is modelled at 7,700 kcal and that deficit is spread over seven days. At 1 kg/week the model subtracts roughly 1,100 kcal per day, which is why the table flags it the moment it dips under the 1,200 kcal floor used as a general safety line.
How were the macro grams calculated?
Protein is set at 2 g per kilogram of a 70 kg reference body, fat at 25 percent of total calories, and carbohydrates absorb whatever remains, counting 4 kcal per gram for protein and carbohydrate and 9 for fat — the same split the main tool applies to your personal target.
Nearby maintenance levels
Your personal maintenance number is one calculation away: the CalorLab calculator turns height, weight, age and activity into BMR, TDEE, goal targets, macros and a 12-week projection. Or browse all maintenance-level pages.