I grew up just outside of Chicago, so I’m all too familiar with bitter-cold winters, but I’ve been out of the icy cold winter season for years since we moved to Florida in 2003. Now I’m in North Carolina and anticipating my first real winter in 11 years. It’s time to bundle up, baby!
Knowing that my coldest winter in years is on the horizon, I took some time to brainstorm ways to remain active during the winter months to share as part of Columbia’s new initiative. I’d love to hear some of your ideas, too!
Tips for Staying Active During the Winter
- Keep At Home Workout Options On Hand
When it’s cold outside, there will inevitably be days that we won’t want to leave the comfort of a warm and cozy house. That’s when at home workouts come into play! Build a small collection workout DVDs, check out free fitness channels on YouTube or browse Pinterest for lots of at home workout ideas! If you happen to have an Amazon Prime membership, you can find tons of free workouts there as well!
- Bundle Up and Take Your Workout Outside
Even during the cold months, there are still tons of ways you can stay active outside. Grab a coat and have fun skiing, snowshoeing, building snowmen or snow forts and sledding. If it’s cold but there isn’t any snow on the ground, check out an indoor ice skating rink for some winter fun or bundle up and head out on a long hike!
Some new sure-to-keep-you-warm winter apparel favorites from Columbia:
I first had the chance to put Columbia’s famous TurboDown jacket to the test during a ski trip to Park City back in January and walked away raving about the heat-retaining powers of the Omni-Heat insulation (SO impressed!) and the lightweight yet incredibly warm down.
The silver lining you see is the Omni-Heat thermal reflective technology at work! The inside of the jacket is lined with tons of metallic microdots that reflect your own body heat back to you, making it 20 percent warmer than a normal liner. Sounds crazy, but after trying it out in Park City, I am a believer!
Another feature I somehow never hear people talk about that seriously impressed me is the way the TurboDown jackets can fold up and take up minimal space in a suitcase. When I think of down jackets, I always think of gigantic puffy coats that take up tons of space, but this jacket is somehow extremely lightweight and small but still incredibly warm.
In the winter months, warm feet = Happy feet! Columbia’s Minx Boots first caught my eye when I saw the company’s social media guru wearing them in Park City so I was quite excited to try a pair myself! I opted for the Minx™ Pull On Omni-Heat™ Print because I wanted a pair of boots I could easily pull on and off to take me to and from the gym during the winter, but I also wanted a waterproof boot I could wear on cold weather hikes.
These boots fit the bill and I love the fun print and cushioned sole. Plus, I have a feeling the Omni-Grip will come in handy when it gets icy outside or when I am hiking and need a good grip to keep me from sliding all over the trails.
- Participate in a Winter Workout Challenge (or Create Your Own!)
Sometimes a little friendly competition (even if its only with ourselves!) is all we need to get motivated to work up a sweat. Many gyms offer winter workout challenges but if you cannot find a fun challenge near you, reach out to some friends and create your own. Pick a prize that will motivate you (a new workout outfit, perhaps?) and make it a goal to work up a sweat four to five times a week. Support each other and hold each other accountable!
- Try a New Workout Class or Sign Up for a Local Running Club
Trying something new can do wonders when it comes to reigniting our love for fitness. Try taking a new workout class at your gym or sign up for a class you’ve never tried before at a local studio. (If the cold has your spirits at an all-time low, look for a hot yoga class to warm you up!) If you miss your summertime outdoor workouts, research local running clubs. Most running clubs meet up during the winter months, too!
- Train for a Race or Competition
There’s no denying the fact that having a goal makes it a little easier to commit to a fitness routine. By signing up for a race or local competition (look for indoor triathlons and CrossFit competitions), you’ll have a training plan to follow which may motivate you to stick to your workouts when curling up on the couch sounds more appealing.
Columbia Giveaway
And now it’s time for a winter giveaway! I have a feeling most of you out there are hoping to remain active through the winter months, so I’d love to send one reader their own Columbia Platinum 860 TurboDown jacket and another reader a pair of Minx boots in the style of their choice.
If you’re hoping to win the jacket, simply comment below and tell me which color you’d like from the options offered: Red (the one I have), purple, black or silver.
If you’re hoping to win the boots, let me know which style you like best! (You may see the 10 different style options of the Minx boots here.)
Or, if you don’t care which prize you win and are equally interested in both the jacket and the boots, tell me about some of your favorite *active* things to do during the winter months or some of the ways you motivate yourself to stay active in the winter.
I will randomly select two winners on Friday!
Good luck!
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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Columbia through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Columbia outerwear, all opinions are my own. The giveaway portion of this post is not sponsored and I will personally be buying the winners’ prizes and mailing them to the winners. Good luck!
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I love the red jacket the best!
I would love those Women’s Minx Mid II Omni-Heat Print in RED!
I love to go snowboarding during the winter! I’m originally from SC, so snowboarding was a once per winter thing if at all… now that I live in PA, it’s feasible to go almost every weekend because great runs are only an hour or so away!
That red jacket looks so cute on you, that’s what I would want to win!
To stay active in winter months, I love to ski! I love the Columbia jacket in black!
The Women’s Minx™ Slip II Omni-Heat™ in black look great for quick boots to pull on during the winter months!
I would love either one! In the winter we love going to the pocono mountains with our dog, there is a ton of open room for him so we always spend all day outside exploring and letting him off his leash 🙂
Ooooh I would typically lean towards the black jacket, but I really like the purple! It would go with brown or black boots 🙂
Love the boots that you have on!! The Minx Pull On Omni Heat in that print, awesome!
i absolutely adore the red on you! i think that would be my choice. PA had a crazy winter last year.. time to be prepared! 🙂
I love this post! I also appreciate you listing off some great ideas for staying active during the winter 🙂 I’m starting up a local running group in Charleston SC so I highly encourage folks to find something new and fun to challenge themselves during the colder months!
Also the black jacket looks awesome! I’m heading to Wisconsin for the holidays and that would definitely keep me warm!
I’m loving the jacket in purple! That’s my pick!
I love your red jacket! Living in MN we do a lot of cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and at the end of November I am a running buddy for the Girls on the Run 5k – Winters are too long to stick to indoor only activities – jackets like this are a must up here!
love love love the minx omniprint pull on (the ones you’re wearing!)…they look perfect to throw on for the walk to yoga or spin and even to work when it’s icy out!
I live in Michigan so I ALWAYS need warm clothes!! Columbia is great. Just trying to get out to my car in the middle of winter can be a workout in Michigan, hiking out there and digging out my car on a daily basis to get to work in the morning is often my way to stay active 😉
Awesome giveaway! I would loooove a new pair of boots!
That jacket looks great! I would love the purple 🙂
I just moved to northern New Hampshire and I’m desperately in need of a good winter coat (it’s supposed to snow this weekend…..eeeek). I love the purple!
I try to get out of the house to be active at least once a day in winter so the minx boots in the “omni-heat” print in the shorty or pull on would be perfect for snowy walks with my dog
I love love love the red jacket! So cute! 🙂
I signed up for a marathon in February, so I HAVE to train during the winter months. I would love the red jacket or the women’s mid II boots!
I absolutely love the Columbia jacket and would love, love, love it in silver! I have recently lost 60 pounds and haven’t replaced my winter ski jacket – my old one is swimming on me! I am also living in Indianapolis, transplanted from Austin, Texas – to say I don’t enjoy cold would be an understatement!!!
I love snowshoeing! Love thosse minx boots. I would take any pair!!!
Such cute options! I love the red jacket and the boots you have. I’m planning to stay active this winter by signing myself up for a 13k cross country ski race in February and training for that – the plan right now is to sign up before I have the time to talk myself out of it 🙂
I love skiing! I’m from FL too so no t much of a cold weather person, but do love to ski
I like the jacket (silver) and the Minx Mid II boots in shale 🙂
For me, the winter is all about the treadmill, but a vinyasa yoga class can be a good way to warm up! Shoveling out a car parked under a few feet of New England snow is also a pretty good workout, if I do say so myself.
I like the Women’s Minx ™ Shorty Omni-Heat™ and the Women’s Minx™ Slip II Omni-Heat™ ! Either one would be great for cold, snowy New England winters!
Staying active in the winter is SO much harder, especially because I’m a long outdoor run in autumn kinda girl 😉 Living in New England, I’m no stranger to cold weather workouts – I’ve found my favorite ways to stay active in the bitter cold is signing up for a yoga class at the gym, weekend hikes (decked out in about 3 layers, and when it’s not snowing!), and taking full advantage of the treadmills at the gym right next to my office. Winter workouts definitely aren’t as fun and creative as the rest of the year, but staying active is worth it!
I love your jacket!! I usually take the dogs for a walk every morning and just bundle up so I don’t freeze. When snow arrive, I take my nephew and niece outside and we build snowmen and have snowball fights as well. I also love going up to the mountains when it’s cold and just hike and have fun.
I love all your at home workouts and think that’s a perfect way to stay active. The red jacket you have is adorable and I would be lucky to win the same one. Thanks!
I love that jacket!! I want a black one!
I am in LOVE with those boots! Absolutely loving the Women’s Minx™ Pull On Omni-Heat™ Print boots in Elk, Grizzly Bear!
Some of my favorite active things to do during the winter are skiing, running & long evening walks. I hate the winter, but there is something very peaceful about a wintertime walk! And I like both the jacket AND the boots!
I love both and would be happy with either one. As far as my favorite winter workout, I still try to get out and run. For me, the treadmill = dreadmill mentality definitely applies. BUT the best way I’ve found to stay motivated is to do your long, cold runs with a friend. I live in Washington, D.C., and we have an incredibly active November Project community here. If you haven’t heard about November Project, check it out. They’re a nation-wide movement (founded in Boston) to motivate people to get outside and stay active even in cold months.
I love that jacket, I’ve heard such good things about the Columbia winter jackets! We had the coldest winter ever last year here in Delaware and I am not looking forward to another one 🙁 I love going on hikes and running outside and now it’s the time of year that I have to start moving my workouts inside! I’ve always thought BodyPump and BodyCombat have kept me motivated!
Thanks for the great tips!
I am hoping to win the red Columbia jacket! Adorable!
Great winter activities. I love circuit workouts all year round but they become a requirement in the winter. It’s so hard to choose which I’d prefer (boots or coat) but I definitely need a down jacket for the upcoming weather. I’d definitely choose black, though you make red look so cute!
I love the boots you chose and would love to wear those this winter!!
I would absolutely love the ones you’re wearing.( The Minx omniprint pull on) I love the idea of pulling on winter boots. I’m headed to Ohio for winter break and it’s always an adjustment from the south, where I’m attending graduate school. Help a poor graduate student out? 🙂
What an awesome giveaway!! I would be all over the purple!
I love to go ice skating and Horseriding! Indoor weight workouts are also great 🙂
I love the jacket in red, and the boots! My favorite things to do in Winter are skiing, hiking and running. It’s tough to get out in the mornings but I warm up after a few minutes and know I”ll be rewarded with a cup of hot tea when I get back inside 🙂
Being from Buffalo, NY either one of these items would come in handy during our cold, snowy winters! Besides going to the gym throughout the winter, my husband and I will take our pups to the local park and run crazy with them through the snow so we can all get some fresh air and let some energy out!
What a fun giveaway! I love the striking red of the jacket and I think it would be a fun pop of color in the winter months. A friend of mine has a jacket like this one and raves about it!
I love the jacket in red!
Oh my gosh, Julie! This giveaway is fantastic. I’m an Alabama native stuck in the cold, cold state of Indiana. I’d cry if I won this. I ADORE the purple jacket!
I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life so brutal long winters are nothing new to me and wearing the right outerwear is so important to stay warm! I love to go skiing and snow tubing to stay active during the long winter months. The traction on the boots would help with climbing back up a tubing hill while the jacket will keep me warm while speeding down a ski hill.
I would love the black jacket!
Every year I run the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January! Training for a Half Marathon in Wisconsin in December is always tough, but it’s so motivating. Those days that are above freezing start to feel like summer 🙂
I absolutely love the jacket! Being a Florida girl transplanted to the north, I’m sti trying to figure out the best jackets. I would love the red!