To be honest, I've tried every diet under the sun and it isn't one approach fits all. Different things work for me at different times, but the overriding principle for me is simply eat less cr*p. Calories count, but it really depends on what our bodies do with those calories. Some (processed) foods trigger fat storage / hormone release / hunger etc.
sometimes I apply rules to help me achieve this (Keep carbs under 100g, drink more water etc), but ultimately it boils down to the fact that eating natural is the way to go. Of course, it's damn hard when faced with a doughnut!