NC pop addiction

[frostback]

I dont drink, I dont smoke, my one bad habit is Mt. Dew. I am now very addicted to it. When I dont have any I feel like a truck has hit me, bad headache, no energy, and very grumpy. Any advice to get over it. I have very little will power and there are a lot of gas stations around and when I pass one a absently stop and get a pop. Any advice, I am serious about this, its no joke in my eyes. I cant believe what other drugs would do to you when this is just caffiene. I have to drive my two kids to school everyday and pass a station for both kids. There are no other way to get around them. How long will the bad effects last? How long will I have to go without before I stop craving it? This sucks, but now that I figured out why I feel bad I hope to fix it.

 

[OLD WORLD SHORTIE]

 

[DakotaCow]

This is never fun, but I'm assuming it's regular mt dew? If so try diet pop of a different brand, I know it sounds odd but when your past the caffeine hangover it's easier to get off of diet. The caffeine headache can last up to 3 days. Do you drink coffee? Again this can help with the withdrawals. One last thing drink plenty of water! Keep us updated

 

[leanbeef]

I don't know about it being any easier to kick a diet soft drink addiction... I've known several people who were pretty addicted to Diet Coke and drank several per day.

The first two things you need to find in yourself are the willingness and the discipline required to change your mindset and your habits. It sounds like the willingness is there, but nobody can do this for you. Just like with any other habit or addiction, you have to become your own disciplinarian.

These things always take time. Don't set yourself up for failure or disappointment by trying to quit "cold turkey". That only reinforces the notion that you can't do it if you have a setback or give in to your cravings.

Start by setting realistic boundaries for yourself. These are not "goals" you hope to attain. These are BOUNDARIES you need to respect in order to be successful. Limit your soft drinks to one per day, for example, and don't feel guilty about that one per day. You're in the process.

And don't reward yourself for keeping your boundaries by binging on Mt Dew! Instead, after a week or two with no slips, do something else for yourself unrelated to this, but something healthy and rewarding. If one per day is too drastic at first, make it one in the morning & one in the afternoon...whatever. Just set some boundaries & respect them.

After week or two, move the boundary a little bit. Substitute the drinks you're taking out with a healthier alternative that you also enjoy. Water is GREAT! And believe it or not, you will learn to like it more than you think. Keep enforcing this process until you no longer crave Mt Dew every day. Eventually, you may be able to enjoy one OCCASIONALLY without feeling guilty or experiencing the negative side effects.

I used to order a Coke every time I went out to eat at a restaurant. Besides the sugar and caffiene, it was relatively expensive! I would try to drink other things, but I didn't enjoy my meal as much with a bland glass of water. I started flavoring my water with a lemon wedge & making more of an effort to drink more water and less soft drinks. Eventually, I got more accustomed to the refreshing cleanness of cold water compared to the sugary sweetness of soft drinks. I don't even like soft drinks now unless I'm drinking out of glass! I rarely drink them out of plastic bottles or aluminum cans. They just aren't as good! I usually have a soft drink with pizza or a hamburger, and it's SO GOOD! I just appreciate it more when it especially compliments the foods I really enjoy it with. Otherwise, I may have tea, milk, lemonade or even water! There are countless choices, and many you can enjoy just as much as the Mt Dew you've grown addicted to.

Good luck! These things aren't easy, but they're also not impossible. You can do this!

 

[shorthorngirl2010]

Are you trying to quit caffeine or just Mountain Dew?... I, too was hopelessly addicted. Seriously, people laughed at me when I told them I was going to try & quit.  One day I just decided I was going to cut it out of my diet & see if I felt any better &/or lost any weight.. Instead of grabbing a Mtn Dew wherever I went, I grabbed a tea instead.. it was tough at first.. For me, it was the carbonation that I think I craved most, as weird as it sounds. Since the first week in March, I have only had one pop, and that was on graduation day, I thought I would have a Mountain Dew, for whatever reason... Truth be told, it gave me a massive headache.. Now the only thing I think of when I consider a pop is the thick, heavy syrup & a headache to follow... no thanks..
GOOD LUCK! You WILL feel better if you stop drinking it, or at least I did

 

[knabe]

i quit drinking coke about 6 months ago.  it was free at work and a bunch of us got work to eliminate it.

availability is the key.  don't buy any for at home and eliminate the places you go to get it.

it takes about 6 months to get addicted to something you don't yet crave.

 

[Doc]

Good luck Frostback!! My wife and kids are wanting me to drink less Coke. I am trying to drink a little less, but I like the taste of it . So I don't want to give it up all the way. I went one day without it and had a major migraine. I have never tasted coffee and don't like tea. I'll avg 3 a day.

 

[Cowboy]

Here is some food for thought folks -- and it is a REAL fact -- I promise.

Several years ago, I had the major brain fart to try and do something better for all of our bodies and well being. I decided, and it's a GOOD thing too albeit VERY expensive -- to try some products made and sold by Herbalife ( I know, it is the sales thing -- don't worry, it wasn't me). WE all felt exptremely good almost within a week. We didn't do this for the weight loss nessexxarily, but that was a lso a side benefit. The real beneit was what we all learned.

First off, it is ironic how this fell into this topic, but ------------  By simply adding ONE 12oz soda a day -- diet or regular - to your normal day's diet will give you 10 pounds a year in weight gane, and it is all from the high carb sugars. Yes, I did say diet or regular. Your body can not metabolize these types of raw sugars very well, so, it stores it -- as FAT.

If you try and reduce your intake, it causes your body to try and re-metabolize itself - or burn the fat off from the sodas. This ishard to do. Even oif you are not over weight due to the sodas -- your vody goes on strike. Headaches are common -- irritibility and frustration -- just another way to be called an @#% or a $%^&* -- (do the math - hehehe).

That little bit of info may help you Frosty -- addiction sucks -- I know -- and it does not matter what the product is you are addicted to. Years ago when I quite chewing it was real easy for me, but I also smoked -- and THAT is a real bugger to kill. Coffee and cigs go together like boys and girls at a high school prom!!!!!!! Nuf said.

You have my support Frosty -- give me a call and I will tell you everything I learned with Herbalife, trust me -- they might have a bad image from thier sales aproach, but they do have stellar products form any many things we do every day. I no longer use them due to the cost, but it worked really well for many of the aches and pains we all have. I'm done talkin!!! hehehe

Good luck with your DEW time, it will pass, and like they said above, it takes a few days to get past the headaches, and then you will be the calm loveable mom and wife we all know you are!!! hehehehe

See ya -- Terry

 

[chambero]

There was a documentary on HBO a few years ago about Mt Dew addiction in Appalachia.  See if you can find it on the web. It was quite shocking.  People gives it to babies in bottles in place of milk/juice there with high frequency.

 

[jason]

i quit drinking coke about 6 months ago.  it was free at work and a bunch of us got work to eliminate it.

availability is the key.  don't buy any for at home and eliminate the places you go to get it.

it takes about 6 months to get addicted to something you don't yet crave.

Yep, the key is keep yourself away from it.    My wife does all our shopping so I don't have much of a choice on what I drink at home.  If I am lucky, she throw a 6 pack in the cart, if not its water, tea, apple juice, or lemonade.  At work, all I drink is bottled water.

I still require a red bull on late nights, but usually the price of them keeps them at bay.  My wife on the other hand has no problem dropping a 5 bill at starbucks for for a drink I can't pronounce.  It is pretty bad when she doesn't even have to order now, they just start making it when they see her pull around.

 

[jason]

There was a documentary on HBO a few years ago about Mt Dew addiction in Appalachia.  See if you can find it on the web. It was quite shocking.  People gives it to babies in bottles in place of milk/juice there with high frequency.

Mt dew + bad dental hygiene = no teeth

 

[frostback]

Thanks to all that have replied.  I hate the taste of anything diet so not a option. I have been 4 days free of the Dew, I did have a pop yesterday but it was caffeine free. I do drink lots of water. I work outside and do 90% of the work with the cows so I am outside all the time and every vehicle we have has a gallon jug of water in it. Tractors too. I do not buy it at the store and bring home, the only time I get it is when I am driving and with our farms 20 miles away I am always driving, like I said. I have done the iced tea thing at the store but it has caffeine in it too. So that is what got me down. I like the carbonation thing like someone said so I guess Ill just have to have more will power and buy caffeine free stuff. Again thanks for letting me vent some and get some positive help.

 

[King Cattle Co.]

I loved Mt dew so much... I had a 6 to 9 can a day habit...I was to the point where if I didn't have one started by mid morning I would walk across the shop and forget what I went over there to get, and so I finally decided I had to do something about it. I just quit pop all together cold turkey.  I had terrible headaches for about four days or so.  I do drink some tea that has caffeine in it but my wife makes caffeine free tea that I like. I have been off pop now for 4 and a half years (other than a couple root beer floats). its funny, I opened a case and handed someone a dew and as I handed it to them I got the mt dew taste in my mouth. its sad to be 22 and have your doctorworried about how high my blood pressure was.. but I am glad to say that now I have normal blood pressure and a clear head...     

 

[frostback]

So pushing 3 weeks without a Mountain Dew, have had a few pops without caffeine. Even got through a road trip to Oklahoma without one.

 

[ruhtram]

Congrats!! This is Great (clapping)

 

[knabe]

So pushing 3 weeks without a Mountain Dew, have had a few pops without caffeine. Even got through a road trip to Oklahoma without one.

keep it up.  that's awesome!!!!

 

[Ohioteerchick]

Powerade helped me.
Its only like 88¢ a bottle here, so I would buy a bunch of it, then weaned myself off of regular to the zero, then straight water.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Mt dew is totally addicting. I used to drink it all day then I saw how much sugar is in just one 20 oz bottle. It was gross. I'm down to one in the morning and that's about it. Now if I could just shake the Copenhagen.