‘Home Improvement’ Star Richard Karn Gets Real About Weight Loss, Lawn Care, and Life After TV Fame

Richard Karn, best known as Al Borland from the iconic sitcom "Home Improvement," is opening up about his recent 30-pound weight loss—and he’s not sugarcoating the journey. The 69-year-old actor, now also a spokesperson for DIY lawn care company DoMyOwn, says he’s grateful for the results, but warns against letting strict diets take over your life.

"When something’s that strict, it can't, for me, become a whole lifestyle," Karn explains. He’s sticking to a balanced approach: enjoy that slice of pizza, but don’t make a habit of it. He notes, "Everything within moderation, obviously." Quoting Oscar Wilde about doing things to excess, Karn jokes that such thinking can get folks into trouble—especially when it comes to food.

The Karn family’s diet has been simple: four or five ounces of meat, plenty of veggies, and lots of water. Of course, he points out, you can even overdo it with water. If only there were warning labels on hydration: "You can get in trouble with drinking too much water." Apparently, moderation is king, whether you’re eating steak or sipping H2O.

Aside from diet tweaks, Karn has taken up Pilates—partly to improve his golf game. "Pilates helps me a lot with golf, because you need to turn," he says, highlighting how routines matter, but only when you know why you’re sticking to them. It’s all about keeping things real and sustainable.

Now, Karn’s focus is shifting to helping others as the face of DoMyOwn, a company that gives homeowners access to pro-level lawn care products and advice. Growing up in Seattle, he developed a love for landscaping, and he believes a well-kept yard is a sign you care about your home. "That’s important because it shows that you care, that you’re making an effort keeping that routine," he says.

Karn offers practical advice: know your grass before you mow it. "Probably more than three-quarters of the people that have lawns don’t really know what kind of grass they have," he says, rattling off types from Kentucky bluegrass to Zoysia like a true yard enthusiast. He loves that DoMyOwn is both a store and a free info hub for all your patchy-lawn problems.

Of course, Karn’s handyman image from "Home Improvement" made him a perfect fit for this new gig. He credits his builder dad and grandfather for those skills, even if his dad once doubted he could swing a hammer straight. Now, with a yard of his own, Karn says he’s living the dream—and mowing it himself, just like the old days.

Turning to his TV roots, Karn gets nostalgic about his eight years on "Home Improvement," calling it a "joy" to work alongside Tim Allen and the rest of the cast. Before TV, Karn was a theater kid in New York, bouncing from stage to stage. The sitcom gave him a steady crew—and a steady paycheck—for nearly a decade.

Now, Karn’s passing on what he’s learned to his 33-year-old son, who’s eyeing an acting career. He admits the industry has changed a lot since the '90s, with social media giving everyone a shot at stardom—whether they’re ready or not. His advice: be careful, and wait until you’ve got some experience under your belt before jumping in headfirst.