Jeb Bush is on the Paleo diet and he's starving

(Image credit: Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

But he looks fantastic, you have to admit.

And friends confirm the likely GOP presidential candidate has lost 30 pounds since December, reports Michael Barbaro in The New York Times.

So what's his secret? The so-called caveman diet requires you to eat as early humans did during the Paleolithic era, which means no grains, legumes, dairy, or anything processed, leaving Bush with a light menu of meats, seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, nuts, and some oils. Really, the diet wouldn't be so difficult if the former governor weren't on the not-quite-but-almost campaign trail, where politicians are expected to roll up their sleeves, grab a seat in the local eatery, and dig into a hearty meal prepared by the people.

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Indeed, Bush may look more presidential than ever, but a candidate who doesn't indulge in life's little fatty pleasures isn't exactly celebrated.

At a breakfast meeting with veterans in Colorado Springs recently, Bush left his heaping plate of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns untouched — "to the disappointment of the restaurant's staff," Barbaro says.

But that doesn't mean he has to enjoy it. "I am always hungry," he told guests at a dinner in New Hampshire recently.

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.