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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Loving that silver jacket! And love Columbia too! Great post 🙂
I’d love either the jacket or boots. This winter I’m going to be training for my first marathon. I’m a little nervous but also looking forward for the motivation to get outside in the cold and soak up some vitamin d
I love the white boots! I need some new boots for the upcoming winter in MN!
Ahhh so hard to choose! I love the red jacket though 🙂 Personally, I love long coffee walks with my mom in the winter, just bundle up and go! I also love to use events like NYE and Christmas as motivation to stay fit, I wanna look good in dresses 🙂
I like the purple jacket!
I love the black jacket- going skiing out west for the fist time this winter, so I’m in the market for a new light jacket!
Love the give away items this week! I have my eye on the purple Columbia jacket and the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot-color: shale.
Living in a climate full of snow in the winter brings lots of options for outdoor fun…sledding, making snowmen, ice skating — can’t choose just one!
I LOVE Columbia winter gear and would love the coat in red! My favorite active winter activity is snowshoeing 🙂
They’re all so cute! I love the black Mid Omni boots – could go with anything. 🙂
I am loving the minx mid II Omni-heat boots!!!
I love that jacket! The red is great!
The minx mid II Omni Heat boots would be perfect for walking my dogs this winter.
Practically everything I own is black, so I would love the coat in purple or silver!
living in Michigan, i would absolutely love the Minx Mid II Omni-Heat boot in Shale. i have the coat area covered, literally, but my boots are sorely lacking for the types of outdoor activities i want to be involved in!
Ooh I like both. I stay active by doing youtube workout videos. Yoga, cardio, pilates, weights….I mix it up!
I love how cute the Pull On Omni-Heat boots are!! Perfect for the constant cold and snow of Chicago (and winter is already on its way)!
I would love the silver jacket. Thanks!
I wear lots of bright colors in my lower layers, so that BLACK coat would be amaaaazing for winter walks around Boston!
I would LOVE the purple jacket!!! AWESOME giveaway Julie!
Really love the Minx Pull on Omni Heat shoes in the color elk/grizzly bear. I can definitely see myself wearing them when I go on camping trips.
I would choose the minx mid II omni heat boots for snowy walking!
Treadmill runs are my fave in the winter! Ha! I would loveeeee the boots to trek to and from work to!!
Love them both! I tend to stay indoors in the winter by hitting the gym only to brave the outdoors for the occasional snowball fights
Ah I love the Minx Mid II omni heat! Being in Boston + winter = trudging through some lovely snow dunes to get to the gym!
I would love the jacket in black or silver because you can wear it with anything! I wouldn’t mind the middle boots either though! Haha! My vizsla is definitely my main motivator during the winter season. Something about the cool weather makes her just a little more crazy and energetic than usual! Long runs are the only way to get her energy out!
Love them both and would definitely wear both! For the jacket, I’d go with black and I like the same boots you have on. So cute!
I absolutely love the red boots! I always want to step out of my winter fashion comfort zone, and these would do the trick! My fingers are crossed.
A pair of the minx mid omni-heat boots would be nice!
Both are really nice! I have to say my favorite winter workouts are on my bike trainer and the treadmill.
My wife would love a pair of the Shorty Omni-Heat boots!
I would love either the black or red jacket!
I love the red boots pictured above :)) although the jacket sounds great too!! If I didn’t already own an awesome omni jacket id prolly go for that!!!
Love the boots you’re wearing in the post! Look super cute and comfy! Now living in Florida, I truly miss the cold winters we had in Colorado, but…Florida does have it’s cold days. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I would love the red jacket or the boots just like yours!!
I would love to win the black jacket!
The red boots!
The Minx boots would be great! My feet are always getting cold and they are super cute. Great share Julie 🙂
The purple jacket! LOVE!
I really like the Women’s Minx™ Pull On Omni-Heat™ boots the best.
Minx brown boots! Like yours 🙂
I’m a kid at heart, so I’m all about sledding! Plus, walking up the hills is great exercise!
I love the Minx herringbone boots!
Luckily in Arizona winter is the best time to be active outdoors! I love running outside, biking and hiking! We try and do at least one ski trip a year because my husband and I both grew up in frigid Wisconsin 🙂
I am going for the boots! lol
Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot !!!!!!!!!! in gray!!!!!!!!!!!
I fell in love with these in Women’s Minx™ Shorty Omni-Heat™ Print in Elk color!
Crossing fingers now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A black jacket would be perfect in case I get lost in the snow :).
I don’t care either way! Winning any of them 2 would be awesome! I enjoy hiking when the weather is not too harsh!
I love the snow and would not mind wearing the Minx herringbone boots!
My wife would love a pair of snow boots! Thanks for the chance!
My energetic yellow lab keeps my husband and I active year round! Our favorite winter activies are cross country skiing and snowshoeing – pending the temperatures in Minnesota aren’t too frigid!