Your level of activity impacts the number of calories you need to maintain your weight: the less active you are, the less calories you need. Other factors, such as age and gender, also play a role in weight maintenance, according to the Baylor College of Medicine.
Identification
MedlinePlus suggests a simple formula to estimate calorie needs based on your activity level. Multiply your weight in pounds by 10, 13, 15 or 18 for sedentary, lightly active, moderately active and very active lifestyles, respectively. Based on this formula, you need from 1,700 to 3,060 calories to maintain a weight of 170 lb., depending on how active you are.
Factors
Your age affects your calorie needs. People generally start to lose muscle mass in their thirties. MedlinePlus estimates that individuals over 55 years of age need approximately 2,210 calories to maintain a weight of 170 lb.
Considerations
In addition to factors such as age and activity level, variances in metabolism and body composition cause people of similar weights to have different calorie needs. If you lose weight or gain weight at a specific caloric target, adjust your intake up or down by 100 to 200 calories until you find an appropriate calorie goal.
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