Tracking and limiting carbs have been the keys to my success. And I've lost 217 pounds and am at goal one year post-op after starting at nearly 400 pounds. I'd tell them to bite me and do what you know works for you.
When you move out into the woods and hunt/fish/forage, then I give you permission to stop "tracking".. oh, but weight ( )... how do you catch wild game, without tracking??
Humans have tracked all throughout history, why stop now?
I worked in the dietary department of my local hospital 14 years ago. We counted everything on the patients' trays. Scoops measured serving sizes. Number of carbohydrate servings were limited for diabetic patients, etc. etc. If a hospital measures out food for everyone, why shouldn't we do that at home? (Most people lose some weight in the hospital.. there's a reason for that, beyond illness!).
I got reprimanded at my support meeting for only eating 1100-ish calories a day at 6 months out. Not sure how many they think I SHOULD be eating, but that's how I'm able to continue losing weight! Once I hit maintenance it'll go up.