Ruth Jones Reveals the Secret That Helped Her Lose Four Stone and Avoid Chocolate for Five Years

Ruth Jones, the beloved actress and co-writer of Gavin and Stacey, has opened up about the dramatic lifestyle change that helped her shed four stone. The 58-year-old, best known as Nessa, credited her success to cutting chocolate completely out of her diet after trying “loads of diets” with little success.

Speaking on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware, Ruth explained that she opted for a calorie deficit, limiting herself to 1200–1500 calories a day compared to the recommended 2000 for women. This approach, combined with eliminating sugary treats, helped her slim down to a size 12, according to the Daily Record.

The turning point came when she attended a workshop with hypnotherapist Paul McKenna. Ruth recalled, “One of the techniques he showed was aversion therapy. He asked us what our aims were, and I said that if I could stop eating chocolate, I would be fine.”

Skeptical at first, Ruth followed the process, which involved associating chocolate with a food she found unappealing—mushy peas. “He said, think of something you would hate eating, then think about eating chocolate, and alternate between the two. It worked. I didn’t eat chocolate for five years, I couldn’t stand the smell,” she shared.

During her chocolate-free years, Ruth would test herself by sniffing complimentary chocolates left on her hotel pillows while working with co-writer James Corden. She was consistently put off by the smell, a testament to the effectiveness of McKenna’s technique.

However, her resolve eventually broke. Ruth confessed that after unsubscribing from the hypnotherapy workshop emails, she found herself reaching for chocolates the very next day. “We were writing, and there were chocolates on the bed in this hotel room. I picked them up,” she admitted.

James Corden recounted the humorous aftermath, saying, “I walked into the room, and Ruth was holding chocolates near her mouth. We ended up buying two giant Cadbury’s Easter eggs, lying on the bed, and eating them with chocolate on our faces. Shortly after, we wrote Dawn and Pete’s vows.”

Fans can watch the Gavin and Stacey finale and relive the comedic brilliance Ruth brought to the show, now available on BBC iPlayer. Her journey to health and humor continues to inspire.