Calorie Count vs. Hungry/Not Hungry?

Okay, I need some opinions here.  I was 175 last Thursday, and after calorie counting and excercising for almost a week, I now weigh 169.  Some days I have eaten less than the recommended 1200 calories per day (I am female).  SO, I try to at least eat that much on other days... but now that i have been used to to a reduced diet, I feel like I'm overeating.  I am full but still eat to make up the 1200. 

Question is: if you are not hungry, and are below the 1200 recommended intake, is it bad to NOT eat?  How will it affect weight loss?

I've read LOTS of posts from people who quit losing weight until they upped their calorie intake to over 1200 calories a day.  If you consume less than 1200 calories, the body begins to protect itself from starvation by slowing down its metabolism rate, so it does not burn as many calories.

Try eating snacks throughout the day.  This will help maximize your metabolism rate, burning maximum calories.

If you occasionally undereat it's no big deal.  But if you consistently undereat a few things happen... First is that you risk not getting the right nutrition or energy so you can feel a bit washed out and miserable.  Some people find they end up bingeing to catch up.  Others just give up all together.  Second, your appetite can start to die away and you stop feeling hungry.   That's a bit of a danger sign and can become a vicious circle.   Third, you'll lose weight really fast at first but then you'll be more likely to encounter the dreaded 'starvation mode' and find your body slows down the speed at which it burns fat.   That's when you can get a weight-loss 'stall' or even find you start gaining a little.

With your stats you could probably lose weight on 1400-1500.  Tip... have a day this week where you get a good 2000 'maintenance' cals.  That should perk your appetite back up and maybe you'd find it easier afterwards.  Best of luck

I'm 4' 10" and generally eat less than the 1200 cal minimum they suggest, usually hovering around 1000 cal a day. I'm sure you'll receive other advise, but if you're not hungry, why eat? If you stop loosing, or feel you're loosing too quickly, then you should add some more calories to your diet.

I've heard that multiplying your goal weight by 10 will give you the number of daily calories you should have.  My goal being 95-100 (hey, I'm really short!), I feel I'd doing the right thing eating less than 1200 calories. Especially since my starting weight was 120, which is not a good look if you're under 5'!

Eat some nuts or peanut butter on celery!  Those are excellent ways to get high/healthy calories and not make you so full.

All of this advice makes perfect sense.  I think I'm going to try and do about 200 calories every few hours... and see how that works over the next few days...

I guess I should mention I'm 5'5-ish...

I use to eat 500 calories per day, in the beginning, I did loose but I was always hungry. I then ate 800 calories 2 days a week and ate 1800 calories the other days. When I started exercising, I found that I needed the whole 2100 calories to keep from getting hungry. I also noticed if I ate 2000 calories I would loose more weight. I really don't understand it but it worked for me....so eat as much as you can. Perhaps if you exercised a little you would become a little more hungry. Your body goes into starvation mode when you don't eat enough. Eventually it does catch up with you.   

Make an effort to eat small meals and snacks throughout the day so that your metabolism doesn't slow down given your signficant reduction in caloric intake.  You didn't mention whether or not you are exercising, but getting in a work-out regularly will also help your appetite.  BTW, I am 5'0 and after an injury went up to 120 b/c I couldn't exercise as I would normally.  I am now in better health and exercising 3-5 a week.  My goal weight is 108-110.   What are you eating that you are full at 1200 calories?!?!  I am finding it hard to even do 1350 a day.