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Well, it looks like Jon Gosselin hasn’t just been sitting around sulking about his troubles. He’s been losing weight, and In Touch Weekly has the exclusive photo: Jon without that infamous gut.

“Jon’s own dad never took care of himself and died at an early age, so Jon is doing whatever he can to ensure he’ll be around for his kids as long as possible,” Jon Gosselin’s friend tells In Touch exclusively.

And maybe, just maybe, it didn’t hurt that losing some weight might help his prospects of returning to reality TV? People can have multiple motivations for doing things

“Jon’s made time for himself,” says a friend of the reality star, who adds that Jon’s kids were his main motivation to get in shape.

The friend told In Touch that Jon’s eating habits deteriorated due to his marital problems with Kate. Now, though, the “beer belly” is gone.

You can read all about it (including Jon’s weight loss strategy and workout regimen) in the next issue of In Touch Weekly, which hits newsstands this week.

Photo: In Touch Weekly