Lena Dunham's parents rarely let her go out of the house alone when she was younger.

The 28-year-old actress admitted she was barely allowed to go to the local shop without her mother and father during her early years because she was so protected, and as a result she had to act out all her individual adventures in her own imagination.

Speaking at a New York screening for her new HBO documentary, 'It's Me, Hilary' - which tells the story of 'Eloise' children's books author Hilary Knight - she said: ''My parents didn't really let me out of the house alone, I was pretty coddled, so probably reading the 'Eloise' book was my way in.

''In my head, I had a bunch [of adventures], but in reality they were like, 'You aren't even allowed to go to the corner store.' ''

Lena - who produces the new documentary - has recently embarked on a new health kick and while the 'Girls' star insists she is not on a ''crazy diet'', she is hoping her new life regime will help her to live past 50 years old.

She added to PEOPLE: ''I don't think anyone's gonna be like, 'You look so good it's ruined my life. There's nothing anti-feminist about being healthy.

''I'm just exercising to be a person who will live past 50. I'm not like on a crazy diet.''