Calorie counting vs. weekly/monthly diet regimen?

Anonymous
Ok, so, I have tried both types of dieting:

1- Calorie counting: You can eat whatever you want as long as the total dietary intake is less than your daily calorie intake.

2- Weekly/Monthly diet regimen: You follow a diet (Atkins, South Beach, etc...) where certain foods are not allowed and others are allowed. You follow that diet for a certain period of time then change it.

Which one did you follow and gave you excellent results?

Which one do you recommend and why?
Calorie counting vs. weekly/monthly diet regimen?
2 Opinion