The recent “Blue Zones” book by Dan Buettner has made me want to dedicate my body to science. I really should put it another way. I want to rededicate my body to the art of “Blue Zone” science.

I started on Monday-again-to really watch what I will be putting in my body and also to start a walking program on my treadmill.

When Joel Spoonheim and Amy McDonough from Blue Zones and AARP were here meeting with us earlier this year to talk about the City Health Makeover, I teased them about taking the Blue Zones quiz and actually dying eight years ago. It was a humorous poke at the shape that I am in, but as some humor masks serious content, I do need to drop some more weight.

A few years ago I had asked all 72 of my readers for help in losing weight. I figured that if I put my goals down on paper — this column — it would help me be dedicated to losing weight as people get to see me every day and they can ask, “How are you doing?” and, “Keep it up,” as a way to keep myself on course.

Now with the Blue Zones challenge as well as personally wanting to drop more weight, this is the perfect time to make a lifestyle change.

It is time to get away from ice cream and start with fruits and veggies more. I will get more active and just ease into a better lifestyle, a healthier lifestyle.

I will keep you updated in my column on how my progress is coming.

I will tell you right now that my goal is to lose 12 pounds a month starting this month. So by July 1 that would be 48 pounds. Another goal is that by June 1 that this is just a part of my life and not a goal or a diet, but an actual lifestyle. Eating healthier and being more active is the end result of what I am starting.

Oh, and getting into a two-piece bathing suit for the beach.

Just kidding. No one wants to see that!

Mall of America economy is the not American economy

I went on my every other year trek to the Mall of America this past weekend to satisfy my obligation as a father and husband to do things that we all do as a family. You need to give and take as a husband, and I went with an attitude of trying to enjoy myself.

I passed the time by doing two things:

1. Barnes & Noble. I love this place and so to spend time looking at books was a great thing to do while the women folk looked around the mall.

2. Observing things. MOA is a great place to observe people, trends and other social things that may amuse or stimulate your brain.

Let’s look at No. 2 a little more deeply. I observed the following things at the MOA:

A. Our economy is not in a recession: I believe there were about 1 million people in the mall on Saturday, and they all seemed to be spending money.

B. Build-a-Bear Workshop is recession-proof: That place had a line that wrapped around the outside of the shop and down the hallway all day long! Wow!

C. I think that there may be only two people left in the world without a cell phone.

D. Tweens rule the world.

E. Another recession-proof item is the baby stroller. I may have seen roughly 1,734 of those on Saturday as well.

F. There are only three stores for men in MOA.

G. There are 756 stores for women in MOA.

My final observation about the Mall of America is Joan Rivers, who was appearing in the center area of the mall near Barnes & Noble. She looks a bit like E.T. the Extra Terrestrial because of all the surgery she has had over the years. I am not a fan anyway, but seeing her from about 20 yards away it was very scary.

It was good to get home.

Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column appears every Thursday.