Friday 20251226

Pete Shaw
Dec 25, 2025
2 min read

BODY

At-home Holiday Workout #5

5 minutes of stretching

5 rounds of:

15 deadlifts (use a backpack)

8 push-ups

5 minutes of stretching

Fill the backpack with as much weight as you'd like. Pick it up off the ground and back down to perform the deadlift. Scale the push-ups to the counter top or back of the couch if needed.

BELLY

Garlic Butter Shrimp Stir-Fry with Zucchini & Peppers

Shrimp stir-fried in garlic butter with crisp zucchini and bell peppers for a light, protein-packed, meal.

Group	Ingredient
The Mix	8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
	1 cup zucchini (sliced half-moons)
	½ cup red bell pepper (sliced)
	½ cup broccoli florets (small pieces cook faster)
The Flavor	1 Tbsp butter, melted (or olive oil)
	2 cloves garlic (minced/jarred), 1 tsp ginger (paste/grated)
	1 tsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
	Salt and pepper, to taste
Finishers	1 Tbsp scallions (snip with scissors)
	Garnish: 1 tsp sesame seeds

🏃‍♂️ Instant Assembly (5 Minutes Prep + 10 Minutes Baking)

Preheat & Prep (2 Minutes): Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with foil.
The "Dump & Toss" (3 Minutes):
- Place the shrimp, zucchini, bell pepper, and broccoli directly on the baking sheet.
- Pour the melted butter, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper over the top.
- Use your hands or tongs to toss everything directly on the pan until evenly coated. Spread it out so nothing is overlapping.
Roast (8–10 Minutes): Slide the pan into the oven.
- Note: Shrimp and thin-cut veggies cook very quickly at this temperature. Stop as soon as the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Finish & Serve: Remove the pan. Use kitchen shears to snip the scallions over the top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

💡 The "Busy Parent" Shortcuts

Frozen Veggie Mix: Buy a bag of "Stir-Fry Vegetables" (fresh or frozen). It usually contains broccoli, peppers, and snap peas already sliced. Just dump the bag on the tray with the shrimp!
Kitchen Shears: Don't pull out a cutting board for one scallion. Hold the scallion over the pan and snip it with scissors.
Shrimp Hack: Buy "Tail-Off" shrimp so you don't have to mess with removing tails at the dinner table while helping kids.

BRAIN

Rise of ultra-processed food is detriment to global health

UPFs have undergone heavy processing and include carbonated drinks, ready-made meals and many packaged breads.

This commentary by GlobalData Healthcare, a UK-based market-research and analytics firm, argues that the rapid global expansion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is contributing to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other non-communicable illnesses. Drawing on recent large reviews and epidemiological studies, the piece notes that UPFs—industrial formulations high in refined ingredients and additives—are increasingly displacing whole foods in diets across both developed and developing countries, worsening population health outcomes. From this perspective, they call for stronger public-health policies and regulatory action to curb UPF consumption.