I'm counting calories too. I can't actually join any "real life" clubs, but I've done enough commercial plans in the past to know what will work for me. And besides, I'm jiggered if I'm going to fork out dosh for them to tell me what I already know! Heh, I come here and get it for free!!
No one but myself can alter my mindset and that's what has been the biggest block for me, not lack of nutritional knowledge.
I'm aiming for 1500-1600 kcals a day plus free veggies like cabbage, lettuce, etc.. (I still count peas, beans, corn, and the like.) I set a minimum intake of 2 litres of water-based beverages, and although I do count it, I'm always way over that anyway. I haven't exercised for years so I decided to add a 2 mile walk every day to get me moving. Some days it's easy and I do more than that, other days I don't manage to get it all in.
I find the above is working out really well for me. Because I've been working on controlling my portions too, I'm finding that eating what I want to (mostly healthy choices, of course) almost always results in my not going over my kcal limit. When I started, I was unconcerned about how those kcals were made up. Now, I'm finding I choose healthier options without thinking about it. I still manage to work in a few drinkies and not-so-healthy snacks here and there
so I don't feel I'm being deprived.