Many people would like to know what causes belly fat. It can depend on many factors including age, gender, over indulgence and fitness. As women especially approach middle age it's very common to gain belly fat.

This is due to a hormone imbalance, as too much estrogen can cause fat to be deposited. Also as we age our metabolism starts to slow down, so even if you still eat the same amount of food you will gain weight.

 Overindulgance is another factor especially around the holiday season. At this time many people miss out on their regular fitness regime as well, making it even easier to gain belly fat.

The main question that many people ask is how to lose belly fat naturally. There are several natural and simple ways to lose that belly fat for good and some of them are discussed here in this article. 

The type of food you eat can have an affect on your metabolism, so making changes to your diet without going hungry can help you to lose belly fat naturally. Fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, beans and pulses are high in fibre which not only help to keep you feeling full but also eliminate toxins that build up in the body.

Processed foods are often high in fats some of which are trans fats, as well as salt, artificial flavourings and colourings. These ingredients promote weight gain and are often nutritionally deficient. If your body doesn't get the correct nutrients from food it will continue to crave more food until it does.

You can lose belly fat naturally by eating certain foods that boost the metabolism. Grapefruit helps to burn fat and half a grapefruit before a meal will give your metabolism a boost.

Spices such as chilli and ginger raise the body's temperature, as a result you need to burn extra calories to bring the temperature back down again. Green tea is packed full of antioxidants and can help you lose weight as well. Just 3 to 5 cups a day can help you burn an extra 70 calories a day.

Eat 6 small meals a day regularly spaced apart. This will ensure that you don't get hungry and keep your metabolism working optimally. Lack of food can slow down your metabolism and as a result your body starts to store fat.

Drink plenty of water as this will also help you to lose belly fat naturally. Water fills you up and flushes out harmful toxins from the body. Replace sugary fizzy drinks with water as these drinks are usually high in sugar or artificial sweeteners. Often people don't drink enough water to keep their body properly hydrated and feelings of thirst are frequently mistaken for hunger.

The right exercise combined with a healthy diet will help you to lose belly fat naturally. The best types of exercise to burn belly fat are resistance training and cardiovascular.

Resistance training is a great way to boost the metabolism and burn excess belly fat. It builds muscle and this requires calories to maintain. As a result you will burn calories even when you are just sitting down watching tv or reading. Weight training the main muscle groups brings your core muscles into play.

These include the abs which keep the mid section of your body stable while training. So you see it pays to work out and build some muscle tissue.

Cardiovascular exercise is not only great for burning calories and helping you to lose belly fat naturally it also strengthens the heart muscles. Jogging for 20 minutes or brisk walking is good exercise.

You don't need to pay expensive gym memberships to stay fit as jogging is free, you could also invest in some resistance bands for resistance training. They come in different strengths depending on your level of fitness

Lose belly fat naturally by ensuring that you get enough sleep. You need at least 6 to 8 hours sleep a night to keep your metabolism working optimally and to provide you with the energy to function properly.

Lack of sleep can make you to tired to exercise and boost levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that slows down the metabolism making it easier to gain weight.

Low energy and tiredness can cause you to interpret this as a need to eat more food, especially simple cargohydrate foods such as biscuits and cakes. These foods give you a quick surge of energy which is short lived. 

 Don't despair if you can't fit into that figure hugging dress anymore. Many people end up throwing out clothes just because of an increase in belly fat. This can really dent your confidence as women are under great pressure to look good and having a large belly isn't thought of as being attractive. Men are also under pressure to look good and nothing is more unattractive than a man with a large beer belly!

It can be hard to lose weight on your own as you need the support of friends and family. If you lack motivation and support to lose your belly fat it may be a good idea to seek professional advice.

These people are trained to help you lose your belly fat naturally in the most effective way. There are many weight loss programs to choose from including Weight Watchers and Slimming World.

A good idea would be to just go along to a meeting and talk to some ot the other members before deciding to sign up. You should get plenty of support from other dieters and the people running the group.