Metabolism is something that affects the proper functioning of the human body. It is not only controlled by what we eat and how often we exercise. But sometimes there are everyday habits that spoil metabolism, even if unrelated to body weight can cause it to suffer. Also if one burns fewer calories throughout the day then one is at risk for gaining fat. Following are some of the mistakes that we often make and need to be avoided in order to boost metabolism.

1. You sit quite a lot: Spending a large amount of time sitting in front of the computer at work or TV at night is one of the daily habits that spoil metabolism which can pack on the large amount of pounds. Even in active men who met exercise guidelines, sitting for three hours or more per day will be at 74 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome. They may be at cluster of risk factors like heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The main reason for this is that muscles don't have to work hard therefore burning less fat. This can also lead to poor insulin sensitivity.

2. You don't wash foods before cooking or having them raw: Commonly used fruits and vegetables, are mainly surrounded by the pesticide drugs which are spread over them to make them grow more can lead to metabolic syndrome and obesity. The research shows that the pollutants were stored in fat tissue where they cause inflammation and thus affect pathways that regulate metabolism. So, it is highly recommended that you wash the veggies and fruits before you actually consume them.

3. You skip washing hands sometimes: Researchers say that a common respiratory virus called adenovirus-36 and obesity are linked, as the virus appears to turn stem cells into fat cells. To cut this risk of viral infections one needs to wash his hands to remove any of the harmful bacteria and viruses.

4. You are depriving yourself from sleep: Lack of sleep is also among the habits that spoil metabolism and increases cholesterol levels which can promote weight gain. One should not eat within three hours before bedtime and should eliminate all caffeine so as to get restful sleep and achieve the goal of 7 to 9 hours per night.

5. You eat food high in fats: Fat is something difficult to digest, eating a high diet which is rich in fat can adversely affect metabolism. Food high in fats slows down the digestive process and results into slower metabolic rate.

6. You are stressed out: This is also regarded as one of the most common habits that affect health and lower down the overall body's metabolism. People normally adopt the bad eating habits during stress condition. Stress really brings out the worst. Most of us start munching chips, eating ice creams, sweet foods as soon as stress begins. To reduce this, keep a food journal to track eating and pinpoint food stressors and combat stress cravings.