as much as i've tried to punch holes in these theories over the years, I have yet to meet a single individual that transcends the calorie theory completely, only people who may bend and readjust some level of efficiency in processing what 'food' has to offer.
The idea that eating a mineral and vitamin rich raw diet, free of toxins means you can eat far less calories - only goes so far. Just because there are some militant fruit eaters who say that if you run marathons you HAVE to eat 5 k worth of calories from carbohydrates or whatever doesn't mean the answer is not somewhere in between.
The correlation between food calories-in and energy-out is obviously not so simple or can be pulled off a chart, but if you are more active or looking for weight gain, you are likely going to have to consume more 'calories' of food intentionally and scientifically. Calories are BY FAR a more useful measurement for assessing quantities of food than weight. So even tho you can't compare the calories of suet to an apple, you CAN compare the calories of suet to someone of a similar age/build who is consuming suet or marrow or something, so it is totally rational and appropriate.
The idea that one doesn't have to monitor ones intake because they are eating raw, is just totally incorrect in regards to many of the reasons people get into health in the first place. If someone is obsessing over such things, that ain't good, but virtually ALL athletes, actors, etc.. HAVE to maintain a certain high and low for calories, otherwise something will be out of balance - physique, energy level etc...
Just because you can not disintegrate or not get fat not-counting calories, or because raw carbs or fats arn't storing as body fat in that moment, means pretty much nothing in terms of specific health goals.