Dieting has to be the worst plan to lose or manage weight there is. It is so easy to forget a rule of a diet and slip off the wagon.
I found that dropping the majority of packet food was easiest. 80% of my diet is foods you could sit on the counter and immediately recognise what they are. The remainder is a very select few foods that balance things out but they are definitely not over processed or full of any numerical ingredients.
The other important aspect is moving, I walk over 15,000 steps a day and ride my bike for a couple hours 1-3 times per week.