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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Last year I signed up for a half marathon at the end of winter to keep me motivated to run. It worked and I completely got over my fear of outdoor winter running and its not my favourite time to run.
I would love to win the jacket in red!
I like the Minx Shorty Print – so cute and practical.
I like the women’s Minx Mud II Omni-Heat boots
I love the jacket in purple! It would be great for the several ski trips we take in the winter!
I would like the coat! I would usually just say black or silver but I think the colors are really fun too! Ok ok I guess I would pick silver after all!!
I love the Minx Pull On Omni-Heat Print boots you have on in this post! They would come in handy this winter on walks with my dog, hubby, and our bundled up newborn baby girl!
im super interested in the minx pull on boots in elk, grizzly bear. super cute! 🙂
and look super comfortable!
I’ll run all winter long outdoors for sure, but my favorite activity is snow shoeing. It’s a great workout and it’s easy to learn how. Love the coat and the boots.
The only way I really stay active outside during the winter is by shoveling. Oh and basically ice skating through the parking lot at work every morning! haha. I prefer indoor activities during the winter, the gym or dvds.
I love the printer boots you tried on! Staying active in winter is pretty easy for me. My motivation during the cold days so far has been to think about how amazing i feel after a run and my goals. Works great for meso far !
I love the mid II omni-heat boot in oxford tan! So cute- makes me excited for cold weather!
I would love Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot in black
I’ve joined the school gym with a classmate of mine so that we can go to yoga classes and running inside. It gets very dark and icy in Iceland over the winter so indoor activity is more practical for me 🙂
Oh my gosh! Both the jacket and boots look perfect. I have giant ugg boots, but those look so cozy and easier to walk in (ummm I fall on the ice in uggs all the time!) I would love to win either.
My favorite way to stay active in the winter is to layer up and go for a run on local trails that are cleared. I also take advantage of in home workouts that I can do without having to brave the cold if it’s too nasty.
I love the purple jacket and the tan boots you are wearing are adorable. I have been looking for mid calf boots forever and these are perfect!
I love to do hot yoga in the winter to keep warm! But I would love to do more outdoors activities if I had the right gear! I love the coat in black, but I also like the shale minx mid II!
I love the pull-on boots! They’d be perfect on my daily walk from the metro to my office during the winter months.
I live in upstate New York, and it sure does get cold here! I love to ski to keep active and have fun during the winter! I love the jacket you are wearing, in black!! It would be a great layer for the slopes at Gore Mountain!! Thank you!
I love the black jacket! Seems like the perfect jacket for outdoor winter activities!
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I live in Philly and the red jacket would be perfect for the cold winters here! Plus red is such a bold and fun color & I don’t own any red jackets! I love to go sledding & skiing in the winter!
Those jackets look so warm and comfy! I would choose the red option!
my wife would love the red, perfect for winter
I would LOVE the jacket in black! I like how it looks sporty and sleek all at the same time!!
Both the jacket and boots seem like they would make perfect additions for my Nebraska winter wardrobe! I actually love exactly what you have – the red jacket (because its Nebraska and red goes perfectly 🙂 ) and the Pull-on Omni Heat boots, I love the convenience of pull-on boots for the winter. Having a solid collection of indoor workout options helps me stay on track for days when I can’t (or don’t want) to make it out to the gym. Other than that, my family has a tradition of midnight sledding on Christmas Eve and that’s about the only time I willingly go out and play in the cold and snow!
The jacket in Purple looks really nice or the Women’s Minx ™ Shorty Omni-Heat boots would be prefect!
I would love this jacket in silver or black. My favorite thing to do in the winter is take lonnggg, cold walks around my neighborhood. I live right outside of the downtown Charlotte, and the city is so quiet and pretty during the winter. I love to explore it!
LOVE the purple coat!
I would love the Black jacket. Would be a perfect addition to my winter wordrobe!
both items looks so amazing! I love your picks and would want the jacket in red and those adorable boots – my feet get so cold in these New England winters. to keep active in the winter i find a local new-to-me workout class and devote myself to a new practice – yoga/pilates make great indoor workout options that i usually push to the side when i’d rather take a jog or a hike.
I love the black jacket!!
I would love the red Omni jacket! I gotta keep it hot and spicey even on the slopes!
OMG – I NEED a new jacket to keep me warm! I haven’t found anything that will keep me warm when I’m outside for long periods riding my horses during freezing cold temps! Would absolutely love to give this jacket a try! I’m torn between black, red, or purple. In your pictures the red looks more pink – is that so or is it a true red?
Would love the Women’s Minx™ Pull On Omni-Heat™ Print in the Elk, Grizzly Bear color. Perfect for winters in the NE.
I would love the jacket in silver or black!!! So cute 🙂
I like the purple jacket and the Minx Slip II Omni Heat in Tabacco. I’m lucky enough to have a gym walking distance from work, so I try to keep up my lunch time workouts all winter long!
The Minx Mid-II Omni Heat in red are exactly what I’ve been looking for. The boyfriend currently lives in Colorado Springs and this is the perfect boot to go explore the area in during the winter months!
Love the jacket in black. For me, snowshoeing is the best activity in the winter..love it!
He purple jacket is awesome and not my typical northeast ohio black. 🙂
I would love the jacket in red or the pull on print boots in the elk and grizzly bear. One of my favorite ways to stay active during the winter is to go outside and play with my dog. She’s loves running around and playing in the snow!
I love going to Bikram yoga in the winter! So warm and nice. I also like walking outside early in the morning for fresh, crisp air. I would love either the jacket or the boots!
LOVE the red jacket! Would be perfect on an upcoming ski trip!!
I would love the black jacket!! It would be so nice to have a down jacket that isn’t huge and puffy and it would be perfect for the winter they are predicting for us in Asheville!
I love group fitness classes in the winter!
if this winter is anything like last winter in boston, im going to need lots of warm goods 🙂 id love to add in either the black jacket or the WOMEN’S MINX™ MID II OMNI-HEAT™ BOOT in black!
i would definitely choose the red jacket! so cute. rumor has it that the midwest is in for another colder-than-usual winter, so i am thinking i need to upgrade my outerwear before that happens.
I would kill for the jacket in purple or silver!!! Love it. Thanks Julie! That’s so nice of you to be doing this giveaway yourself.
I LOVE the purple jacket! I have been on the hunt for the perfect coat to wear in the winter as I spend time outside!
I think having a dog that still wants to go outside no matter the temperature makes it easier to stay active in the winter. He has a fur coat on , so he doesn’t care that’s it’s snowy!
I live in Ohio and we have about 4-5 months of cold weather. The silver jacket would be perfect for me. Believe or not winter running is my favorite. I actually don’t run in the summer.
Both items look awesome. I’ve been in the market for new boots (the women’s shorty omni heat), but the jacket looks so comfortable too (the red one is super cute)! I love skiing as much as possible each winter. I know either item would come in handy for that.