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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Drooling over the red jacket!! Love it! Winter is my JAM! I’m a huge skier & snowboarder, even though it is a struggle in the midwest at times (but who doesn’t love some Wilmot or Alipine Valley every now and then?). I also love to snowshoe, in fact there are some races over in the Highland Park area which are really fun. I also love to cross country ski! As you can see I need this jacket 😉
I live in Florida…so I get excited for winter because it means I get to run outside without feeling like I am going to die. Also, training through the summer means crazy fast times when it gets cool!
I love the jacket in silver or the boots in red. Here in DC, there’s word of another polar vortex winter. I love the snow, but hate the cold so I may be in for it! Usually, I try to bundle up and take my dog for walks, even when it’s cold. I find that I still get pretty warm even when it’s cold, if I keep moving. There may be no amount of moving for -10 though!
Either would be great but I really do love the Columbia Platinum 860 TurboDown in black! The Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot in black is also adorable. Love all this stuff!
I love the black coat! This Florida girl needs to bundle up when it dips below…70? 😉
I love the jacket in red! I live in Chicago so I’m bracing myself for an extra cold winter!
I really like the red jacket!
Either would be awesome, but I really need a pair of boots to walk/hike in this winter.
I stay active outside by walking my dog, riding my horses, and running. Getting outside, even when its cold, keeps me in a better mood!
Nothing like a pair of boots to keep your feet warm AND stylish! I live in Minneapolis and our winters can be quite brutal–these boots would be perfect for those chilly days of being active outside or commuting to work. I love the gray “shale” boots!
I love hikes! I’m originally from Massachusetts but now live in NC as well and it’s so fun that while it gets cold down here it doesn’t get TOO cold to rule out any outside exercise, and there are TONS of beautiful places to go hiking and exploring here! I would love to put any of those Columbia products to good use this winter 😉
I’m a college junior who will be studying abroad in Copenhagen in January for the entire spring semester, so a jacket like this will help me beat the cold! It would also be an ideal jacket because it would take up minimal space in my suitcase. I would love to stay warm during the Danish winter in a purple, black, or silver Columbia Platinum 860 TurboDown jacket!
Both are awesome! This fall/winter I am training to run the St. Jude Half Marathon in December. Having a goal is my best motivator.
I love that black coat! Would be perfect for my upcoming Decemeber ski vacation.
I’d love that jacket in black!
I’ve been spoiled the last two winters living in Orlando because it never got cold! Now that I’m back in Baltimore, I’m hoping to be able to ski a lot this winter – it’s my favorite winter activity!
I would love to win that black jacket!! I need a light down jacket that’s warm since I’m always cold, but don’t always want to wear my heavy, long down jacket.
Always on the hunt for the perfect jacket – I love the red too!
I love the Women’s Omni Heat Minx boots. I live in New Hampshire, so there is no escaping the snow and cold! I love sledding with my kids and going outside and having snowball fights and making snowmen. 🙂
I have been looking for some casual functional boots that i can wear running errands, to the gym, or for walks. These would be perfect! My favorites are actually the three boots you have pictured! I think I would choose the minx shorty boots so I could slip them on easy, but I like the minx mid boots too since we get a lot of deep snow! Thanks for the giveaway!
Either prize would be awesome! Living in South Carolina I struggle to run outside in the summers, but am hoping to train for another marathon this winter since the temperature will be cooler and it will motivate me to stay active. I’m originally from Ohio so I think I can manage running outdoors in the winter down here!
Such a great giveaway and great topic as the days are getting chillier here in Rhode Island! I would love either the jacket or the boots-very practical and cute looking, too! During the winter months, I actually love bundling up and running outside as long as the roads aren’t too icy. May sound crazy but I really enjoy a chilly run. I also like to do at home workouts that require nothing more than a yoga mat and a bottle of water. It’s amazing how much you can sweat in the comfort of your own home.
I would love the coat in red- thanks!
I have been searching for some good winter boots! I love the women’s minx short Omni-heat herringbone boot in the oxford tan–goes with black and brown!
The jacket in red hibiscus looks fab! My fave out of all the beautiful colours 🙂
I love the red color you have! I would choose that one or the black color.
I would love the jacket in black! So cute.
LOVE both the jacket and boots- In the winter I look to youtube workouts like Tone It Up, and I also love the Nike Training app. The workouts get me sweating and when I head out to walk my dog Roxy afterwards, beating heated up from jumping around can make those winter winds actually feel good!
I love the jacket and would want it in red 🙂
I would love either, but I am in need of some winter boots! I love the mid 2 omni heat in white!
I would love to have the Women’s Minx Pull On Omni-Heat in solid black, I have yet to find waterproof winter boots I actually like the look of, and these just might fit the bill!
Id love the coat! Shoveling snow is a great way to get active in the cold weather!
I would love the jacket in purple. So fun!
I’d love either! I stay active during the winter by running with a small group once a week and mixing up treadmill runs with a variety of workout DVDs. I also have two kids and have fun at the trampoline park to get some energy out!
I would love the Women’s Minx Mid II Omni-Heat Boot in saddle/oxford tan. I would use these to walk around my college campus and the surrounding city of Boulder in the winter time to stay active!
I’d love either! My sisters and i always di holiday day runs which keeps me motivated to stay in shale.
Love the jacket in red – especially how it isn’t bulky! Looks great 🙂
I stay active in the winter by taking one for the team and doing all the driveway shoveling!
Great giveaway! My favorite ways to get out are skiing, backpacking, and hiking. Also, a good trick is to sign up for a spring race to get you out and running during the winter!
I’d love the jacket in Hyper Purple!!!
Thanks
I’d love the jacket in purple! I live an hour from Charlotte in Winston Salem and if our winter is as cold as it was last year, I’ll need it!
During the fall and winter months, some of my favorite tv shows are on. To make myself feel ‘less’ guilty about watching tv, I try and do light weight exercises, body-weight moves, stretch or just move around, whether it be dancing, marching, anything! Sounds silly, but it helps me justify being inside and watching probably too much t! 🙂
Loving the Women’s Minx™ SHORTY Omni-Heat™ Herringbone in Pebble! Keeping my piggy toes warm and dry is super important! My winter workouts are usually at home with youtube videos or the treadmil. I think this winter though I’m going to join a class at the new gym near my house!
Love the purple coat!
Love the red or black jacket!!
I would LOVE the purple jacket!!!
I would love the jacket in red! All my winter coats are black so it would be nice to have something a little different!
Would love the red jacket! need a more activity-friendly winter coat.
Hi Julie,
You’re blog inspires me to stay fit! I’d love to win either the coat or the boots. I live in PA which experiences cold winter’s and I rarely ever invest in warm clothing and boots so it would be a real treat so win either item! 🙂
I was so excited about this post I forgot to mention my favorite winter activity! I absolutely love getting outdoors and hiking with my Chocolate Lab, Chuck!
I need a lightweight jacket like that. It looks flattering too. I like the black color.
I would love the black jacket!
I now work at my son’s school and am often outdoors for recess. Winters in NH are cold!
Thanks Julie!
Vicky
I would love a pair of the minx mid boot! The past couple of winters on the east coast have been brutal, I am in need of a good winter boot. During the winter months I love to take walks outside around the neighborhood and to the gym. Running inside and watching the snow fall is also great.