He is a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders but President Barack Obama appears to be shedding pounds in other areas. 
A photograph of Mr Obama emerging from a gym in Fort McNair, Washington showed him looking slimmer than usual.
The
Drudge Report website, which published the picture, captioned it "Barack 'N Bones" and said "rigorous workouts and high-stress basketball games" were responsible for the president's apparent weight loss.
Mr Obama has been teased by political opponents in the past about his physique.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California governor, once joked that he had "scrawny arms" and that he would make Mr Obama "do some squats". By contrast, Michelle Obama's gym-toned arms have been widely admired.
The couple are vocal supporters of healthy living and Mr Obama goes regularly to the gym.
As he came out of the gym in Fort McNair, he was wearing a large jacket which may have contributed to his skinny look.
A Washington insider told the Drudge Report that the president was not chain-smoking - his one vice - but does occasionally skip meals because he is
"working non-stop for the country". A week ago, Mr Obama talked about his physique as he hit back at critics in a speech in Miami.
He said: "Just 'cause I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough. I don't rattle.
"I'm not going to shrink back, because now is the time for us to continue to push and follow through on those things that we know have to be done but haven't been done for decades."
Telegragh
