Shelton's claim is illogical and overemphasizes individual differences. Once again, Shelton is overemphasizing differences due to individual variability, and his demagoguery here may lead readers to the false conclusion that calories should be ignored. Shelton appears to be trapped in the binary thinking mode that is a very serious limitation of the natural hygiene approach. If one eats only for calories, Shelton's remark is relevant. Once again, Shelton's comments here are outdated.
Calories are a useful measure of energy.
Over and above the calorie standards suggested for individuals, the calorie is a useful measure. It provides the best estimate of the energy one can get from a particular food. Calories are also used to measure not only the energy quotient of a food, but individual basal metabolic rates, as well as the bodily energy required for various daily physical tasks. You need energy from food to survive and thrive. We know that without energy, a pile of building materials cannot be transformed into a building.