MFP calories Vs HRM calories Vs Gym equipment calories

If its any use, the best thing i've used is Nike Run, which measures the amount of calories burnt while i'm running, this is pretty much always the same as the amount shown on the treadmill at the gym and when I input it into my fitness pal its pretty similar but a lot of the time, tends to be a bit higher, so I have to input my distance run at a lesser distance.

I think MFP is pretty accurate imputing distance run/speed= calories,
However in terms of measuring certain exercise videos/cleaning activities (i.e hoovering the house) It tends to be way off e.g. I've seen someone input that they hoovered the house for 1 hour and burnt like 800 calories - you wouldn’t burn that running for an hour (would be around 600 cal mark) so its a load of bull! (in many cases)

I think the best solution is to air on side of caution and eat back only a margin maybe 1/4 or 1/2 of exercise cals stated on mfp unless they are completely accurate.

Will just add, the only problem with nike run is that it doesnt take into account running up hill (where as the treadmill would) therefore calories could be underestimated in that respect.

I use my FT7 HRM all the time. I've noticed the machines at the gym read exactly what my HRM reads and I am not even 'touching' the machines to check my heart rate so I assumed the machines are some how reading my HRM. Is that possible? It's what makes sense to me because when I use the machine w/o my HRM is shows nothing. I have found MFP calorie readings to be off a little but fairly close. Regardless, I always record my calories burned from my HRM when logging my workouts for the day since it is based on my personal data.

I have been on MFP for over a year and I heard consistently that MFP calories are way off and gym machines calories figure is also not reliable. HRM gives the accurate number of calories. So after getting some advice from friends and MFP forums I have bought Polar FT7 Hrm. To my suprise calories burnt as per gym equipment and MFP are almost the same as my HRM. Even the heart rate on the elliptical and treadmill were exactly equal to the Hrm reading consistently!

Whats wrong here then? I have double checked my Hrm settings and they are correct. I always used to reduce my calories burnt as per MFP by 20% so that I dont exaggerate. But now my calories burn will be equal to mfp. Is my HRM working correctly? What do you guys think?

The estimations on MFP are accurate for some, but not most. You're one of the special ones:).

I never really used MFP calories, and don't go the gym so don't use anything from there. I used to use Runtastic before I got my FT7. Once I got that I found that my HRM was showing almost double what Runtastic had been saying. I take around 15-20% off whatever number my HRM gives me at the end of my workouts (usually a bike ride) and that seems to be about right judging by my results since (slow, steady, on-track loss) I also don't always eat them all back, at an estimate I'd say I eat back maybe 50% of what my HRM says I've burned.

Nothing is 100% accurate really, but a HRM is about as close as you will get. You just need to find what works for you.
It's possible something is set wrong on the HRM, have you double checked your age, weight etc are correct?
Your HRM can display your heart rate (or what it thinks it is) so you could always check your pulse throughout any exercise routine/activity and see how it compares. If it's the same then everything is working fine, if it's way off then you might have a problem and should probably contact Polar.

I have checked my age, weight and height etc on HRM and they are correctly entered. The pulse is the same on HRM and elliptical trainer or treadmill. I was only confused that people here on MFP have been saying the gym machines are not reliable but I found they are showing the exact pulse rate as my HRM is showing throughout the low and high intensity activity.

Depends on the GYM. Some gym machines are cheap and don't let you enter your stats, and some are real nice that they will let you enter fat% .

If the machine pulse rate and HRM aren't showing the exact number, one of them is broken if not both. All they are doing is measuring your heart beat rate.

The calories for running, swimming, and such simple exercises will most likely always be close in value and can be considered correct. When you start talking about stuff with a bunch of variable factors, that is when the calories vary a lot. Gardening for example, sitting on your knees clipping rose buds is not the same as going around an acre trimming every plant and dragging the bags of trimming to a new location.

When I first started I use to take an average based on what I read from online and compare it to my equipment and then went with the lowest number reasonably (if the lowest was like way off, I would go with second lowest). If you are trying to lose weight then think of it as a bonus of burned calories, if you are maintaining then you will notice the loss and adjust your diet accordingly.

I hope that helps.