I’m often amused by how nutrition and fitness professionals complicate nutrition, especially for those who are looking to lose weight or get leaner. Some will recommend cutting carbs, others cutting coffee, and still others, surprisingly, cutting fat.



For many years I was on the side of cutting carbs. It works very well for a while, but eventually, people want to eat the food they like to eat. Many of those include carbs and sugar. I don’t blame them. I like to eat sweets and other starch as well.



My main point, though, is that most nutrition and fitness professionals, when counseling clients, start with restricting their clients from certain foods or beverages. Those with super willpower may be able to live in a state of restriction for a while, but eventually, they go back to their old way of eating. The body fat creeps back on shortly thereafter.



About eight years ago, I started to realize that helping people get healthier and fitter, and leaner doesn’t need to start with dietary restrictions at all. In fact, it works better when the focus is on eating more of one thing: protein.



And this is especially important: the older you are, the more important that protein becomes.



Here’s why my nutrition recommendations start with protein first.



One exception: Those with preexisting kidney disease need to limit their protein intake. Protein consumption does not cause kidney disease, but for those who already have it, protein may exacerbate the issue.



You Can’t Overeat Protein



The average American eats between 50 and 80 grams of protein per day. It isn’t very much. Research continues to show that a protein intake of one gram per pound of ideal body weight is closer to an optimal amount.



That’s what I have clients eat.



For example, if a guy is at 260 pounds today but should be closer to 200 pounds, then 200 grams of protein will suffice.



However, if he really loves protein and wants to eat 400 grams per day, more power to him. The extra protein probably won’t improve his body composition more than 200 grams would, but if he’s eating that much, he’ll probably eat less of other foods that aren’t as good for him.



Overeating protein does not make you fatter.



An old fashion registered dietitian will tell you that that’s the case, but research shows it’s simply untrue.



Jose Antonio led a group of researchers to study the effects of eating way more protein than most people can handle. Their study participants ate twice their body weight in grams of protein each day. Much of the extra protein came from protein powders because it would be virtually impossible to eat that much from whole food.



At the end of the study, after those participants had eaten an average of 500 calories more per day than they burned, guess what happened? Nothing. They didn’t gain any body fat at all. Overeating protein will not make you fat or unhealthy or any of the other nonsense that a "calories in calories out" registered dietitian will tell you it does.



So, if you’re going to overeat any of the macronutrients, protein is the one to overeat.



Read also: 5 Reasons Low-Calorie Diets Don’t Work Long-Term.



Reduced Desire for Sugar and Starch



A high protein diet significantly reduces cravings for junk.



The protein triggers your satiety signals for much longer than other types of foods.



If you are satiated, it’s less likely that you’ll go searching for junk food. More than likely, you won’t even feel like snacking, so you end up eating less often during the day, which has numerous blood sugar and metabolic benefits.



Read also: Eat Meals, Not Snacks. Why you shouldn’t eat every few hours.



Better Blood Sugar Control 



A high-protein meal helps you regulate blood sugar better even if you do end up eating extra sugar or starch.



Another guideline that I recommend for clients who’ve been working with me for a while is that whenever they eat dessert, they eat it right after their meal. That way,