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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Oh my goodness! This is all SO adorable! I don’t know if it gets cold enough in Texas to justify those, but they’re all so cute!
I love the red jacket, and the Women’s Minx Shorty Omni-Heat Print boots are to die for!
Jacket in black or red!
I would want the jacket in black! Looks so warm!
I’d love the Turbodown jacket in silver!
I love the jacket in black or red and the same style and color of boots you chose! Both look like they’re warm without being bulky, which I can appreciate.
I love the Women’s Minx™ Shorty Omni-Heat™ Print!! These boots are adorable and practical. My only pair of winter boots are Coach snowboots – aka pretty pointless here in Texas.
I really like the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Print. I like a higher book to make sure the snow stays out!
Both prizes are fabulous! I still run in the cold….just bundled up and with good friends. There is nothing more beautiful than being outside in the still, cool morning and getting to watch the sun come up!
I love the purple jacket! I live in MN and would have plenty of opportunities to wear it in the freezing winter months!
I really like the black one! I could throw it on after a workout or dress it up a little!
I love the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot in Shale. Super cute and practical!
I love to snowboard in the Winter. Bring on the snow!!!
I would like either the jacket or the shoes. As a Floridian heading to Vermont to see falling snow the first time, I have a feeling I will need more than a cardigan and flipflops:)
I really love the red version of the jacket and the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Print in either red or white. I could really use some new winter boots so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this one!!
I LOVE the jacket in purple. It would be great when we take the dog out or go hiking! My fiancé is sick of me wearing his down vest.
ever since moving back to michigan from south carolina, i’ve been working on updating my winter essentials! boots or a coat would work for me!
i definitely feel sluggish in the winter months, especially when it gets dark so early! luckily we have dogs, and my parents have a lot of land and woods, so we’ve found that walking them through there makes everyone happy! it’s super convenient, and can easily be followed by a warm drink and a fire in the fireplace!
I love the Mid II Omni Heat boots in grey, or the black jacket! Would definitely help with Cleveland winters and traveling for work!
Thanks!
I love the jacket in red! It would definitely keep me warm during winter hikes with my family.
Would love the jacket in red! Would keep me warm on long, snowy hikes, for sure!
finding my self in the opposite of your situation I just moved out of the mid West to the mid Atlantic and I am looking forward to a more mild winter! It is however still sure to be cold and wet! so I could use either one of the jacket or boots! that being said, I’m hoping to be able to get out and enjoy the mild (to me) winter with some long weekend runs and some looong site seeing weekends (walking about NYC in the winter still counts as a work out, right?!)
I would LOVE the black jacket! It looks so warm!
i love the silver jacket!
I am usually an active person, but struggle in the winter since I live in Cleveland, Ohio…. so I signed up for a marathon in January! I see many cold, snowy runs in my future….
That jacket sounds amazing! I really like the silver one.
The jacket in black or the Pull On Omni-Heat boots in brown.
I love that jacket! I think I would go with purple 😀
I would love a purple or black jacket or the WOMEN’S MINX™ MID II OMNI-HEAT™ PRINT
In white!! Super cute thanks.
I love winter runs! Something about the cold is so invigorating!
Hi! I love the black jacket AND those boots! They look perfect for icey sidewalks! In the winter I stay active by skiing and hot yoga!
Love the red jacket…my favorite color and so helpful for the cold NYC winters!
I love the red jacket! A pop of color is always needed during winter!
Ooh I need a pair of warm boots! I’d go for the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot! 🙂
I love the jacket in black!
The idea of hiking is always turned down by my husband, but when I ask him to walk around the farm to do some nature photography, he’s game. I’m pretty sure he’s caught on to me, but we will “hike” around our land and shoot nature photography as we go. Good for bonding and bring active when it’s cold.
I commute in Boston and I need a new warm winter coat! I would also love some boots that I can slip on and easily get out the door in the mornings. I would be thrilled to win either of these prizes. This is a great giveaway!
In love with the red jacket!!
Purple jacket! It’s my favorite color. I’ve been eyeing this jacket but I live in Florida so I have a hard time rationalizing spending the money for a nice jacket even though I frequently wish I had one on the damp cold days in Florida and when I visit friends and family up north.
tgise boots are adorable! I saw the minx on Tunas blog this morning and thought I wanted those but then I saw you in yours and now I can’t decide!!! I LOVE skiing and grew up doing it and haven’t been able to the past two years (that’s what happens when you’re pregnant one winter and breastfeeding a newborn the next!) and am hoping to get out there at least once this winter! Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!
I would love the Minx Mid II Omni-Heat Boots in gray.
I’d love the purple jacket, I need something just like this and the color is great:)
I love theMInx Mid II Omni-Heat Boot in black!
Love the black jacket!
I’ve been snowboarding for about 10 years now…being from the Midwest it’s hard to find amazing hills, but I still LOVE heading up to Wisconsin for the weekend!
I’d definitely do the red jacket and/or red boots – they’d be SO cute together!
I love the white boots! So cute!
I’m very much not a winter person (which is unfortunate since I have lived in Michigan my entire life…) but I get out to walk my dog or play with my toddler in the snow, so those boots would be awesome!
I’ve been looking for a winter jacket that isn’t too bulky but also super warm. This jacket might just be the right one! I’d love to have it in black.
Both the jacket and the boots look perfect for winter, and they’re adorable too! I’m from Maine, where winters are just about as harsh as they come, but the most beautiful season. My favorite way to stay active in the winter is downhill skiing, but long snowshoe hikes through feet of snow is one of the toughest workouts out there, especially with a puppy by your side 🙂
I love the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot! I am from Texas and we will be moving somewhere that has actual winters soon, so this would really be helpful!
Ooo..I really love the red jacket! So fun and looks great on you!
Ahh either the red or silver jacket! I live in MN so this would be awesome!
The red jacket would be an awesome addition to my wardrobe! I recently moved to Iowa and need as many options for cute, warm coats as possible 🙂