Kiss These Foods Goodbye If You're Planning A Night Of Love

Finally, a date night. You get to spend some sweet alone time with your favorite person. If you're planning to be intimate with your hubby later in the evening, you'll want to make sure your entire body is on the same page. The last thing you want to do is feel bloated, fight off cramping or inflammation, deal with gas or bad breath. Super attractive. The better you feel, the more confident you'll be going under the sheets. Be sure to limit or avoid the following foods within six hours of your big night.

Hold the cheese, please. Dairy products in large quantities, like a full glass of milk or a cheesy pizza can wait. They can cause phlegm and bloating during the digestion process. This is because dairy products contain a protein called casein. The human body is not designed to digest it, so it creates a makeshift combination of enzymes that, together, can break it down (learn the difference between a milk allergy and lactose intolerance here). Because of this, your body experiences some inflammation and bloating along with a mucus-filled after effect. This is why vocalists avoid it before a big show.

Leave white flour in the dust. White breads, bagels, pastas and the like are full of sugar. This sudden sugar rush will spike your blood sugar levels, work your liver into overdrive and leave you feeling sluggish. When the body takes in a lot of sugar at once, certain functions and hormones increase while others nearly flatline; one of the those on the decline is testosterone. Great, tell your man. But if you experience a dip in your testosterone levels (yes, you have testosterone, too!), you'll experience a dip in your sex drive. Boo. See more processed, sugar-loaded foods here.

Gimme that steak! Or not. One of the best parts of date night is splurging a little on your budget and your diet. If you've been dreaming about a filet mignon, try splitting it with bae. If you really must, choose your portions wisely! The perfect amount of red meat can actually boost your libido by targeting your dopamine levels. Amino acids found in proteins will boost your digestive and hormonal functions, too. On the other hand, red meat takes quite a while for the body to break down. It has higher contents of fat and cholesterol. Burgers are a dangerous combination of the white flour carbs mentioned above paired with the beef patty, so save that for another night! Click here for sure-fire ways to bump up that sex drive.

Later, beans and leafy greens! They're awesome sources of fiber, but you know what that means: gas. If you think a huge salad at dinner is the smartest choice, think again. Once the food passes through the intestines and into the colon (last stop!), the bacteria present there will break down the fiber even more. One of the by-products of this process is gas. Beans and tofu are part of this gas gang, too. Slip some gas-relief meds into your clutch just in case.

Salt, salt, baby. Sodium content from salty foods like chips and pretzels will tell your body to hold onto water like the apocalypse is nigh. Water retention creates a bloated look. It could be the one and only cause of you not feeling hot in your little black dress. Cut back on the salt and preservatives, drink plenty of water throughout the day (add some lemon slices!) and you'll be good to go.

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Save caffeine for the morning after. If you're looking for a little energy boost to offset your dinner or get your body clock to skip over your usual bed time, coffee is not the answer. Unless you're planning to take a sip or two, caffeine can derail your entire night. It's a diuretic, which means it will push everything out of your system, including water. (This is not the solution to water retention!) What happens next is you're left high and dry with a case of coffee breath that not even mints can salvage. Split a slice of chocolate espresso cake or ask for lemon in your water.

Cheers! Drink responsibly. There's no doubt your favorite drink can make you feel a little looser, maybe a little more confident in the bedroom and open to becoming intimate. Too much alcohol, and you can imagine (or kind of remember) how that ends. Alcohol, though seemingly a friend to your sex drive, actually inhibits your body's sexual responses or "lowers physiological arousal." If you're hoping to enjoy your evening, you might want to lay off the wine!