Let's Get (More Than) Physical :

I met this guy and it was just supposed to be for sex. But I think I might have feelings for him now. What should I do?

The Love Doctor® Answers:
You describe a very common experience for many women: After having sex with a guy, they experience more intense emotional feelings. Is it physical lust or is it more than that?

Here are three simple questions to ask yourself to determine what you are really feeling. After you make a decision, whether lust or love, you need to talk about it with this guy! It is important that both of you are on the same page regarding where your relationship is going and why.

1. Fifteen Qualities.
Before you do anything, ask yourself what you want in a partner. Then create a list of 15 qualities (no more, no less) that you want or need in a partner. Be specific. Words such as “handsome,” “tall,” and “funny” are much too general.

Diet and exercise can help your overall mood and outlook. Let eDiets help you custom design your own diet. Click here for a free diet profile.

Give the list to a good friend for feedback and then revise your list. Once you have a good understanding of the type of person that would be best for you, ask yourself whether this guy fits the 15 qualities on your list. Does he have at least 80 percent of the qualities? My guess is that you probably don’t know much about this guy and what you like about him. You need to understand what you want in a partner before you can determine if your interest in this guy is based on physical lust or something more.

2. Basis of Attraction.
How would you categorize your interest or attraction to this guy? It can be hard to distinguish between lust and love, but look at the important differences. Lust is an attraction that is based solely on an intense physical attraction. You don’t have a need to spend time getting to know this person or finding out whether they fit your desired qualities in a partner.

There are many types of love. You can have feelings of compassion for others; a strong connection to family and friends; a bond that is based on support, friendship and intimacy; or passionate feelings based on intense physiological arousal.

In romantic relationships, you can experience more than one of the above types of love, but the underlying assumption is that you consider the needs and feelings of your partner, and they consider yours. You also want to learn all about this person -- their goals, dreams and thoughts.

Continue reading �