How to Get over Your Addiction to Mountain Dew

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 Approved

If you find yourself drinking multiple bottles of Mountain Dew on a daily basis, you might be hooked. There are many good reasons to want to cut back on Mountain Dew. Its high sugar content can cause you to gain weight, and drinking too much soda can increase your risk of heart disease, depression, diabetes, and stroke. ^{[1]
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Research source} Whether you're addicted to the sugar, dependent on the caffeine, or stuck in a habit, don’t worry! Cutting back can be hard, but it’s not impossible.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Breaking the Habit

1
Keep track of your drinks. You might be drinking more than you realize, particularly if you drink Mountain Dew out of the fountain and go back for refills. Establish your starting point by figuring out exactly how much Mountain Dew you drink each day. That can help you establish a plan to gradually cut back.
2
Cut back consumption. Quitting cold turkey is difficult. Rather than never drinking Mountain Dew again, try halving the amount you drink each day.
- If you drink four bottles of Mountain Dew per day, cut back to two a day for one week. If you drink three bottles per day, reduce to one and a half per day for one week.
- Give yourself at least one week to adjust to having less before cutting back any further. If you struggle with cutting back and it takes you longer than a week to succeed, that's okay. Do what works for you.
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3
List your specific cravings. Whenever you experience a craving for Mountain Dew, write down what part of the drink you are missing most.
- Writing down what you miss from the drink will help you figure out what you like about the drink. That will be what you crave.
- If you think you might be craving caffeine, try drinking coffee instead of soda and see if this calms your craving.
- If you suspect that you are craving carbonation, purchase a carbonation machine and use it to carbonate water.
4
Limit how many sodas you keep cold. Place only one or two bottles of Mountain Dew in your fridge before bed, to drink the following day.
- If you want to drink only one bottle per day, set yourself up for success by only having one cold soda available.
5
Halve your new amount. A week after your first cutback, your body should adjust to having less Mountain Dew on a daily basis. Now cut it in half again.
- If you are down to two bottles per day, cut it down to one a day for another week. If you are only drinking one per day, limit yourself now to one every other day.
6
Watch out for withdrawal. As you gradually cut back more and more, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.
- Withdrawal symptoms tend to be linked with caffeine. As you begin to cut the caffeine in Mountain Dew from your system, you may start to get headaches or become tired and moody. Don’t worry, though. Withdrawal can be avoided by substituting other caffeine sources for your daily “fix.” Try drinking coffee or caffeinated tea when you feel the symptoms coming on. If you intend to cut back on caffeine altogether (along with Mountain Dew), you will need to eventually cut your consumption of all caffeinated products as well.^{[2]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Johns Hopkins Medicine
  Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
  Go to source}
- Not trying any caffeine substitute when cutting out Mountain Dew, may cause more severe withdrawal, which can make it difficult to function. At this level withdrawal acts much like a health disorder. It is another reason quitting caffeine (and Mountain Dew) cold turkey should be avoided.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Johns Hopkins Medicine
  Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital
  Go to source} That said, caffeine withdrawal should only last a few days.
7
Drink healthier alternatives. Be sure to substitute other beverages in place of your normal Mountain Dew drinks. Do not just stop drinking altogether.
- To keep yourself from becoming dehydrated, drink water, tea, freshly squeezed lemonade, milk, or other healthy, cheaper alternatives in place of the Mountain Dew.^{[4]
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- Try mixing sparkling water with four ounces of fruit juice for a sweet and bubbly alternative.
8
Avoid buying multi-packs. Prevent yourself from cheating, by only keeping three or so bottles in your home at a time.
- Having easy access to a lot of Mountain Dew is tempting. Continue setting yourself up for success by only buying a few bottles at a time. Couple this strategy with placing only one bottle in your fridge every other day.
9
Work your way down to two cans a week. You may find it hard to stop drinking Mountain Dew entirely at first. Work your way down to only drinking two twelve-ounce cans a week. Once you are able to do this successfully, you may be able to cut it out of your diet entirely if you want.
- Two bottles of Mountain Dew per week is a relatively healthy amount, in comparison to multiple bottles every day.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Implementing Healthy Alternatives

1
Stick to your plan. Make sure that you commit to following your new Mountain Dew drinking schedule once you’ve put it into place.
- Continue buying only a few bottles at a time and limiting your access to cold beverages.
- Set aside a Mountain Dew budget. Only give yourself enough money each week to purchase two bottles of Mountain Dew. No extra money means you cannot impulse buy extra bottles.
2
Exercise more. Regular exercise causes the body to feel good. Use the exercise high as a substitute for your Mountain Dew high.
- More exercise can help decrease unhealthy cravings. This can make you more successful in overcoming unhealthy habits like drinking too much Mountain Dew.^{[5]
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3
Lean on friends and family. Ignoring physical cravings can be difficult. Keep friends and family around who will encourage you to stick with it.
- Keep a running diary of your success on social media sites so that your friends can see it and encourage you, as well as positive feedback.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Who would want to quit drinking Mountain Dew?

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Mountain Dew and other sodas are very high in sugar. Even a 20 oz bottle has far more than a day's worth of added sugar. Over time, this can lead to weight gain, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and early death.

Warnings

Attempting to quit “cold turkey” could result in caffeine withdrawal symptoms and is not recommended. Instead, reduce your intake slowly until you have eliminated it entirely from your diet.

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Beating bad habits can be a long, slow process. It will not happen in a day or two. Be patient.

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