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 your style and am not surprised that you can make winter gear look amazing. I love the jacket you’re wearing in “Red”. I’ve never found a down coat that has impressed me without being ridiculously bulky. I love winter boots and am always on the look out for anything that will stand up to a Chicago winter. Last winter I lost two pairs due to “Chiberia”. I’m a winter girl. I love the cold weather and am always outside. I enjoy skijoring with my two siberian huskies and I also participate in amateur dog sledding. Staying warm and comfortable is key and it looks like these two items would do the trick.
I would love the omni pull up boots. They’d be so nice to wear to the gym. I do cross fit. If you’re missing, someone calls you. That makes it easy to stay motivated.
I would die for the black jacket! So versatile and would help hold in some extra warmth during the upcoming months! (I live in the midwest, who knows what winter will throw at us)
– Rachel
I enjoy walking/hiking during winter months and taking along a warm treat to keep warm (hot chocolate, coffee). Aerobic activity always warms me up, and being outdoors seems extra peaceful in the cold quietness of winter. Plus, my dog loves the cold weather and is extra frisky when there’s a chill in the air! I would love the jacket or boots!
I’d love the boots! I live in Minnesota where it’s freezing almost all year, Ha! I live on a lake and do lots of ice fishing and boot hockey, so some warm comfy grippy bottom boots would be amazing! My husband and I love hiking and winter camping as well and keeping the feet warm is a MUST!
Also for anyone looking for winter workout activities, I absolutely LOVE the nike training club app. It’s free and designed just for women. You can create a 4 week program that targets getting g lean, toned or strong. And you can pick what level you want, beginner, intermediate and advanced. They incorporate cardio and strength moves as well as running if you choose and yoga. It’s great for winter and really beats the workout bordem. It’s the best!!
I’m in the market for new snow boots! I love the Mid II Omni-Heat boots!
Such a fun giveaway esp with the cold weather working it’s way in! I’d love the red jacket to brighten up the cold weather or the white Mid II Omni-Heat boots.
Gosh, I love Columbia products so much, and I ALWAYS need more cold-weather clothes! I would love the purple jacket or the pull on Omni Heat boots in black 🙂
The boots and jacket both look so warm!…I like to do the boot camp classes at my gym when the weather isn’t all that great. Being with a group of people makes me more willing to go when I might not feel like it.
I love the boots! I have a hard time keeps my toes warm during the winter.
I stay motivated by doing different popsugar workouts in my living room on the colder days when I don’t want to venture outside. And by cold, I mean anything below 60 😉
Amazing giveaway! I’d love the Mid II Omni-Heat Boots.
I love the Mid II Omni boots in gray!
I live in Colorado and understand the necessity of bundling up! I would love the black jacket. My sister-in-law has one and she raves about it!
Oh, dang. It’s all cute. I love the red coat and the Pull on Omni-heat print in tan like you’re wearing. My favorite activity in the winter is snowshoeing. Boise, Idaho has some great trails and pretty much rocks for outside activities in the winter (or any season for that matter!)
I’d love to win the red jacket (LOVE the color) or the black Minx Mid II Omni-heat boots!
I would love the silver/gray jacket- I love down jackets, especially when they take up minimal space!
Our family is getting ready to relocate to Iowa from San Diego and we are definitely in need of some winter clothes! I love the jacket in black and the mid II omni boots in shale! Thank you for such a great giveaway!
I would love the white boots:)
This Columbia gear looks awesome! My favorite ways to stay active during the winter months is going sledding (climbing up those snow-covered hills is no joke!) and doing fun circuit workouts indoors when it’s too cold to get outside!
I like the silver jacket and the brown boots. I’d be happy with either living in Chicago.
I’d love the jacket or the boots–both would come in handy for a Chicago winter. Last year I signed up for a spring marathon so I was forced to train all winter (during the Polar Vortex, no less!) and it ensured I stayed active and made the winter much more bearable. Having a goal is the best motivation for me to stay active through the winter.
I’d love the jacket in silver – I need a great jacket to run in hear in Milwaukee when it gets below 10 degrees 🙂
I would love to win the WOMEN’S MINX™ MID II OMNI-HEAT™ BOOT in shay !
I love both! I go skating on my city’s river trail.
I’ve had my eyes on that coat for a while. I think I would love the purple!
So much cute stuff! I would love to win those white boots. I’ve been pretending winter doesn’t happen in VA for too long!
I LOVE the red jacket! Warm and cute- the best combo.
I think the black jacket would be classic.
I would LOVE to get my hands on that purple jacket! So warm-looking!
I would love the jacket in black–I’ve been searching for a new winter coat!
I love the jacket and am in the market for one in black to battle an upcoming Chicago winter! Thanks for hosting a give-away and passing some of the goods on to your readers 🙂
I love either! I want to get out more in the winter, unfortunately my lack of cold weather clothing has stopped me from taking hikes, going skiing, etc. Thanks for a great giveaway!!
I need a lot of new warm clothes now that I moved from California to the mountains of Idaho! I’d love the Minx Mid Omni Boot in Shale to wear after snowshoeing or skiing in the winter — two of my favorite cold-weather activities!
The black jacket would be dressy enough for work and casual enough for a walk in a winter wonderland!!
I love both the boots and the jacket! I love snowshoeing in the winter…its much harder than it looks!
I like skating! I want to try and do more cross country skiing though, it’s really good cardio and would be good to cross train with
I like the minx mid ii omni Heat boot and the black jacket. I live in the Midwest now and kind of enjoy running in the cold (but not too cold). There’s something invigorating about breaking a sweat in the colder temps!
I really love the WOMEN’S MINX™ PULL ON OMNI-HEAT™ PRINT boots in ELK, GRIZZLY BEAR.
I commute by bus and then have a few blocks to walk to my office so these will be great on the nasty cold days this winter!!
I love Columbia’s famous TurboDown jacket! Purple is my favorite color and would be so warm and stylish for this winter!
I would love the jaket in black.
What an awesome giveaway! I love the Columbia jacket in red. It would definitely add some variety to my collection of grey-black-white-navy blue outerwear!
Loving the women’s minx Mid-II omni Heat boot. The black would be great for walking the dog in the huge dumps of snow we get
i am loving the pattern on those boots! and the fact that they’re slip on will make it much easier to slip them on and off while commuting!
awesome giveaway, i could definitely use a new jacket! i’m sticking with the classic black jacket, i love it!
I’d love to win either! In the winter my favorite activities are downhill skiing, snowshoeing or skating!
ataying active in winter has always been a challenge for me. I think I’m going to learn how to snowboard with my kids who have been wanting to try it for years.
I am an avid marathon runner and the winter time is when I kick up my training! Last year, I did my 20 miler runs and cross training outside in Michigan and flew to Miami for the marathon in February. I had a great advantage with all of the difficult conditions including the cold, difficulty breathing, and element of slush and snow. It was an amazing experience and I would LOVE to have some new gear for the upcoming months. I would really like the boots you are wearing the Omni Pull II in the natural color you are wearing. Also, the jacket you are wearing for longer training runs to keep me warm on my 20 mile days!!! I would love the black one ! Thanks Julie for your awesome blog and fitness inspiration!
They’re so fun! I absolutely love the jacket in red! It can be hard to get outside when it’s freezing out because all you want to do is curl up in bed with a mug of hot coffee and a book or movie and relax. But it’s all about dressing right so you can still enjoy that time outside. And let’s get real…SHOVELING snow in the winter months in Chicago is the PERFECT workout! 😉
That jacket seems great! I am always cold, but hate wearing-and especially packing-bulky jackets. Love the silver color.
I would love the “tradewinds grey” jacket! I’m always looking for ways to keep warm in the NYC winters…I love ice skating at Bryant Park!