Jeff Garlin's Food Dos and Don'ts

Feb. 19, 2010— -- "Curb Your Enthusiasm" co-star and executive producer Jeff Garlin has penned a memoir, "My Footprint: Carrying the Weight of the World," which gives a funny and honest account of his lifetime struggle to lose weight. Like many overweight people, first he had to admit he had a problem.

"I am a [food] addict, no doubt about it," he said.

For a typical meal, the comedian would order half a dozen items off the menu and never feel full. While on the set, a table full of free gourmet sandwiches, Pop-Tarts, and Garlin's favorite cereal, Cap'n Crunch -- presented an endless temptation.

Garlin now weighs in between 260 and 270 pounds, down from about 320 at his peak.

The comedian's old approach to food might serve as an example for dieters of what not to do -- or at least help you laugh off your extra pounds.

Do Eat Right

Garlin completely overhauled his diet, cutting out sugar, fast food and binge eating sessions.

"I don't eat salt. I don't eat sugar. I eat whole grains, I eat vegetables, I eat fruit. It's all very boring," he said. "I don't eat chicken. I don't eat turkey. I don't eat red meat. I don't eat ham. I do eat fish still. The only thing that was difficult for me to eliminate -- fast food was a little bit difficult, I haven't had fast food in well over a year -- but sugar was really, really hard."

At the height of his addiction, Garlin said he would eat an entire tube of chocolate cookie dough in one sitting.

"The whole tube of chocolate chip dough was awesome. I don't eat any of that anymore," he said. "If I taste the littlest thing, I'm gone, I'm done, it's over."

Don't Stop for Dinner on the Way Home to Have Dinner

Garlin said he would frequently stop at a burger joint on the way home to eat dinner. "A lot of times I'd be, like, 'Oh, I know we're going to have this for dinner, that's not going to be enough. Here, I'll stop over here at In and Out Burger and get a double-double' -- It's two double cheeseburgers."

He would also overindulge.

"I don't want this to be like bragging, but I could eat an entire pizza, and then make a box of five servings of Jell-O instant pudding in one big bowl, and pour in some graham cracker crust and eat that whole thing, too," Garlin said.