Basically, there are 2 types of belly fat namely subcutaneous and visceral. The subcutaneous fat is located between the skin and the abdominal wall. It is the stuff that hangs out your midsection that you can grab with your hands.It poses no risk to your health. The visceral fat lies deeper inside the abdomen, surrounding the abdominal organs. Gaining too much of this fat can cause cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure etc.
There can be several factors responsible for the accumulation of belly fat. These include heredity, hormone changes (especially in women experiencing menopause), unhealthy lifestyles, age-related and simply overeating.
Except probably for heredity, all the other causes can quite easily be countered.
1) Exercises: Do moderate-intensity exercise to lose weight and tone muscles. Your tummy bulge is the first area to shrink when you exercise.
2) Strength Training: Do some weight lifting to trim away that excess fat. However it is advisable you consult an expert or doctor if you have any back problem.
3) Healthy diet: Change your unhealthy eating habits. Increase your intake of complex carbohydrates(fruits and vegetables) while reducing simple carbohydrates(white bread, pasta,rice). Replace saturated fat with polysaturated fat like extra virgin olive oil in your diet. Eat just the amount your body needs, not more.
4) Tone your tummy: You can achieve this by including crunches, sit-ups, push-ups in your exercise regime.
5) Hormone therapy: In some research, it is found that postmenopausal women who take HRT are less likely to accumulate belly fat. However, it is best that you consult your doctor before you take the HRT plunge because recent studies show that HRT actually increases your chances of getting breast cancer.