AskCalories
Get the app

Calorie tracker for weight maintenance

Maintenance gets less attention than weight loss but is harder over time. The relapse rate after weight loss is high because most people drop tracking the moment they hit the goal — and 6 months later they've drifted.

Maintenance tracking should be lightweight. You're not chasing a deficit anymore; you're keeping awareness so weeks don't slip into months of upward drift.

Why tracking actually helps here

  • Most weight regain happens slowly — 0.5 lb/month, undetected without tracking
  • Maintenance calories shift over time (more muscle = more, less activity = less)
  • A weekly check-in beats a daily scale obsession
  • Tracking 2–3 meals a day catches drift; full tracking is overkill
  • After 1 year of maintenance, your body's weight set-point starts to settle

How CalPilot helps

Light-touch logging

We support a maintenance mode where logging the biggest meal of the day is enough. Awareness without obsession.

Weekly check-ins

Weight average and weekly calorie summary delivered each Monday. Spot drift early, before it becomes 5 lbs.

Maintenance calorie recalibration

Your maintenance number isn't fixed. We adjust it based on your weight trend every 4 weeks — dropping when you gain, raising when you lose.

Recommended setup

Logging frequency
2–3 meals/day or biggest meal
Weigh-in
Weekly average
Acceptable range
±3 lbs from goal
Tracking review
Monthly calorie average

Tips that actually help

The 5-lb rule

Set a hard ceiling 5 lbs above your goal weight. If you cross it, return to a small deficit until you're back. Easier than letting drift compound.

Vacation rules

1-week vacation? Don't log, enjoy. 2+ weeks? Voice-log dinners only — keeps awareness without ruining the trip.

FAQ

Should I track forever?
After a year or two of maintenance, a lot of people switch to checking in for a week each month. Others keep logging daily because photo and voice make it feel like nothing. Either works.

CalPilot

Start tracking in 3 seconds.

Snap a photo. Speak a meal. Done. Free download.