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 don’t care which one, I would easily use both!! My winter weather workout is taking my dog on walks. We usually go 4 miles a day and do this all year round, and I could definitely use winter clothes. I bundle up as much as I can, and she even has a sweatshirt that she wears on walks that go below freezing.
I love this jacket! I would love it in silver or red. Thanks for always having such great giveaways!
Would love love the jacket in purple. I feel like I have one super heavy snow coat and a bunch of lightweight jackets but nothing in between. This jacket definitely fits the bill.
I go to college in Vermont and the extra heat would make me one happy sledder! I love making snow forts with my friends still, such a cute group activity 😀
I just started a boot camp exercise class and I plan to continue throughout the long months of winter!
Love this jacket in black or silver! I’ve lived in Houston my whole life but work is sending me to Minnesota for the winter — and The warmest thing I own is a fleece zipup!
Wow, how cute are those boots and jacket! I am so in need of both this winter! I would probably go with the black jacket just because it would go with everything (although I love love love the red one too!). And for the boots, I would choose the tan ones that you have on. Those are super cute and look so comfy!!!
I would love the red Minx II boots or the black jacket! All options are super cute!
Thanks for the great giveaway! That coat looks amazing. I would love it in black!
Living in Alaska any item would be awesome to get. I really enjoy cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The silver jacket would be great for both of these activities or the mind mid II Omni-heat boot in saddle, oxford tan would be cozy to pull on after my outdoor activities. 🙂
i love the jacket- it will def keep me warm while running outside in winter
Love that red jacket! I was in Montana for college last year, and we got down to -40 F… NEGATIVE FORTY DEGREES. Too cold for this Seattleite! 😉
Absolutely love the red jacket and love Columbia winter clothes in general!
It’s been years since I’ve bought a new winter jacket (Minnesota winters = sturdy warm and long lasting jackets) but it’s getting to be that time… I would love that puffy jacket in red!!
I would love the jacket in black! It looks so warm and your description of it has left me feeling cozy. I also like how easy it would be to pack for a winter trip.
The black jacket would be wonderful! It gets cold in New England!
I like the shorty omni heat boots in the light brown print pattern. Love that they are cute but also warm and functional!
Ahhh! I love Columbia and I have been wanting a down jacket for so long! I like the silver, so different from everything else I own!
I would love to try the minx slip II omni heat boots up here in MN!
I’d love to win the black jacket!
I love the tall black Minx Mid II boots. They look super comfy and warm! In the winter I love tobogganing with our little guys. Running up the hill is quite the workout!
Women’s Minx Pull On Omni-Heat! They are SO cute!
I love the Minx boots in Winter White.
I love the jacket (any color) and the boots you have on! Love them! I live in Wisconsin and ALWAYS walk outside at a park…unless it’s below zero. Some days I have to break the trail. I do it first thing in the morning sometimes starting while it’s dark…that way it’s DONE! 🙂 I drink hot coffee on the way out to the park and have a thermos of more coffee waiting for me to drink on the way home!!!
I love the jacket in red – perfect winter color! and the black minx mid II boot is adorable and functional!! I would definitely be ready to face the winter they are predicting!
Columbia makes the best winter gear! The red looks fantastic on you, I think the black would be my choice.
Both the jacket and the boots look super cute! I love to stay active in the winter by going cross-country skiing. All I have to do is go out my back door and the possibilities are endless!
Keeping feet warm in the winter is essentail, those pull on boots would be great!
I love them both and would be super excited to win either of them! I have a 12 year old and three rescue dogs that tend to keep me pretty busy playing in the snow! I still go to the gym in the winter months but also do a lot more outside. My daughter and I both love to go snowshoeing and although I am TERRIBLE at it, we make an ice skating rink in the yard and skate on that too. The dogs love to go for hikes through the woods Chaga hunting with me.
I would love a black one.
In the winter I love to take my dogs for a walk! I get to bundle up for the cold but still get moving and the bonus is that my dogs get some exercise too!!
I would love the red columbia jacket ( I always go for black)- as a southern gal who is used to cooler weather, they are calling for a pretty COLD winter here in the south and I would love to win that jacket!
Whenever I am home and can’t take the cold anymore I lie on my living room floor and do either 150 crunches, or 20 push ups. Since I get cold very often I end up doing this about every 2-3 hours. It makes me warm and boosts my mood! It’s a great alternative to piling on another sweater or pair of socks!
I’m so excited to ski this winter! I tried it for the first time last year (at 26!) and really want to improve this year 🙂
The boots are a perfect addition to a winter wardrobe!
That Jacket!! I would loooove it in black for the winter trips we inevitably take to Utah to visit our families at the holidays. I have always wanted one of those cute form-fitting down jackets!!
I’d love the red or silver coat!
I’m loving the red jacket!! I moved to Texas last year from Southern California – I was shocked at how cold it got in Texas during the winter! I wasn’t prepared. I definitely need a new jacket before the temperature drops again!
I would LOVE to win the purple jacket!
I would love the purple one. I have been on the lookout for it since your post about them from Park City. So in love with this jacket!!!
I like to focus more on strength training at my gym when its cold outside rather than running or working out outside. Its a nice change of pace and gets me excited to run again when it gets nice out!
I love the red jacket you have! I have actually been eye-ing that jacket but have had a hard time with spending the money on it! hahah broke college girl right here lol
I love the omni boots in cream! I live in cleveland so these boots would get some serious use!
Good cold weather tips just in time for the cool down we’re getting in the midwest. I love the purple jacket. I’ve been wearing purple and navy as a kind of neutral lately.
I really like both the jacket and boots! I am planning on running a half-marathon in the spring, so this will be the first winter that I really need to keep up on my training, so the jacket would definitely help with keeping me warm and the boots will help if I want to switch it up for a hike!
I love the purple Columbia jacket!!
The black jacket looks extremely cute and versatile <- important when you live up north and wear one 6 months out of the year!
I would love the Minx mid II omni heat boots in the shale color.
I love the purple jacket! I’m excited to go snowshoeing to stay fit this winter!
I LOVE both the boots and the jacket!! I barely survived the polar vortex last year living an hour south of “Chiberia” (Chicago, HA!) and went to the gym at 5am daily through and through!! The days when we were LITERALLY snowed in, I resorted to my selection of Jillian Michaels and Jackie Warner DVD’s, as well as my collection of Pinterest workouts!