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 would love the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Print in winter white!
I love both! During winter months, I either use my elliptical at home or convince myself to go to the gym by reminding myself how nice it is to feel hot and sweaty during the freezing cold weather!
i love to cross country ski in the winter and either of those pieces would be AWESOME!
I’m really tempted to go for the purple jacket. BUT. I have a cat named Minx so I feel like I need some Minx boots? The teal mid II ones? CONFLICTED! Let’s just say then that my favorite way to exercise during the winter is to wuss right on out and use the treadmill. Oh, and I have ballet year round, so there’s always that.
I would love the coat OR the boots! My plan this winter is to keep running outside at least twice a week. I’m hoping some cute warm weather gear will motivate me, as well as signing up for a 10 in early spring!
Oh that jacket looks so nice! Black or grey would be so cute!
I just moved to Philadelphia and am anticipating my first real winter in 8 years! Much like you, I would benefit from either of these products and really like the red jacket, too. A good way to keep things bright and warm when winter gets dark and cold!
RED! I’d love the jacket in red, please 🙂
Nice! I like the Minx boots in the pattern you are wearing. It is my second winter in Indiana and I realized that I definitely need to invest in a pair of cute and functional winter boots this year.
I would LOVE the purple jacket! It looks so comfortable and warm, and if this winter is anything like last year, I will need it!
Thanks for all of these suggestions!
i am obsessed with that purple down jacket!! one of my friends got it last winter in black and LOVES it. I would love the jacket (purple or black)! awesome giveaway (yet again) Julie!!
Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot in Shale – because they are ADORABLE!!
LOVE the jacket in black! I need a new winter jacket for my first Colorado winter! Great giveaway! 🙂
Love the red jacket!
I love both the jacket and the boots! There are so many fun things to do outdoors its never hard to stay active for me. I love skiing and snowshoeing!
I REALLY need a new pair of boots — I had to wear hiking socks all of last winter anytime I had to go outside because my boots just do not keep my feet warm. And they’re cracked, so they don’t really keep my feet dry, either. I’d love the Minx Mid II Omni-Heat Boot in black!
I would feel so lucky to win either! Last winter, I did some hiking for the first time in the snow. It’s so different to hike in snow! Hoping to stay active that way throughout the colder months. 🙂
I’d love either the boots or the turbo down! Both would be perfect for Colorado winters. In the winter, I stay active by snowboarding, snow shoeing and playing in the mountains. This CO girl loves her snow!
I LOVE all the colors but would choose classic black!
I love Columbia gear, all their stuff is such great quality! Love both items, but really love the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Print in red! So cute! During the winter I really try to work on form, technique and strength training. I’m a tri-athlete so I try to build up speed and strength during the “off” season.
I love the purple coat! Would be very nice to have for this winter in the Midwest!
I love the red jacket!!
Red, of course! The best color there is.
Definitely the black jacket!
Both the jacket and boots are really cute, would love to win either! My favorite winter activity is skiing, though I don’t get to do it often enough!
Ooooh! I like them both. I’m a big fan of hot vinyasa during the winter, and I still love to run in the cold – especially when it’s snowing.
Great giveaway. Definitely interested in both!
A dog is a great way to stay active in the winter. They still need their exercise. I find it best to split up our walks into shorter sessions rather than one long walk.
Love that red jacket! I love snowboarding and hanging out in the lodges–what a perfect jacket for the two!
I’d love the jacket in black!
My favorite way to stay active in the winter is drinking a warm lemon water on the way to the gym and taking a spin class.
I would love either but I particularly need some warm winter boots….the Minx Mid II Omni Heat boot in black/charcoal. I think I will buy them anyway if I don’t win! Great giveaway!
I love ice skating.
I’d love the black jacket. And I’d love the MinxMid II print boots in red. So excited for cold weather!
Love the purple jacket! Going to Park City for Christmas this year and in the market for he perfect new coat.
LOVE that red jacket!!!!! So cute & looks cozy for the Minnesota winter ahead 🙂
Love the red jacket! I especially like how it’s super warm but doesn’t look bulky.
The black Omni jacket looks fantastic!
I would love the jacket in black! It would be perfect for those chilly mornings on my way to the 6 am CrossFit class!
I love the jacket in Silver and the Minx Mid II Omni heat in black! It’s cold in the winter in Mass and we are thinking of moving to VT so it will be even colder! I go snow-shoeing and snowmobiling in the winter and try to run outside, when the sidewalks/roads are clear enough to be safe!
Living in Maine I’m all too familiar with how hard it is to stay active in the Winter, and the importance of staying warm! I would love the jacket in Black!
I love the red jacket! Cute AND warm!! Perfect for Iowa winters 😉
I’m a fan of the minx mid II omni Heat boot in the color shale. I live in Ohio and these would be perfect!!
Def the pull on boots you showed! those look like a great option for running out to the gym and errands!
I love both your boots and jacket and would be ecstatic to win either! Thanks for a great post, I was actually researching winter jackets today and trying to decide what style to get (Columbia is now most likely the winner!). In the winter, I really like doing yoga. There is something about being cozy in the house while it’s snowing outside.
I love the minx omni boots in the brown you are wearing or black! I love when cold weather clothes and shoes are fashionable while keeping you toasty warm!! I love running when its cold out, as long as I am bundled up!
PS: What kind of tights are you wearing? I’m looking for a good pair that isn’t see-though! Thanks!
As a native Texan who now lives in Minnesota, that jacket sounds like a dream! I really like it in black. 🙂
Love both… Red jacket with the white boots! Investing in a pair of Yak Trax helped to keep me active outdoors last winter. Here’s hoping we don’t get another polar vortex in the Northeast!
I love the mid high red lace up boot! Such a statement piece.
I trained for my first marathon in the winter – nothing like a 20 miler in the snow and ice!