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!
***
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 love the jacket in red!
I would choose either the Minx Mid II boot in grey (or shale) or the jacket in silver. I walk my dog every day and either would be perfect for the snowy cold days in MI that are rapidly approaching!
I would like the purple jacket!!
I would love the jacket in purple or the boots! Both are super cute. In the winter I love at home workouts and also snowshoeing! Snowshoeing really gets my heart rate up and I have no problem staying warm!!
I would love to have that jacket in red!
Womens minx omni heat.
I would love the red jacket!! I only own black jackets and I think a fun, red color would be a great addition!
Oooo the jacket in silver would be a very welcome addition to the good ol’ winter wardrobe!
I’d love to win either!
I get hooked on taking spinning in the winter time. A GREAT workout and all indoors.
The Mid II omni heat are great! I need to replace my old pair of boots for snowshoeing!
The boots you have on are so cute! Looking for some fashonable boots that I can trek through campus in durning snowy Michigan winter.
I want the jacket in purple!
I love the black jacket!! 🙂
I love the jacket in purple!
Last winter my husband and I took our girls (8&10 yrs) to the mountains for the first time and they loved it, so we plan on doing as many ski trips as possible this winter. I love the boots you have and would love a pair of my own.:)
I would love the jacket in black! It would be so amazing to have a coat that travels nicely yet also is cosy enough for those harsher temperatures! I’ve always struggled with not taking a coat due to space no matter where I go and that would be awesome to have one that is warm and stylish too! 🙂
I love the jacket! I’m a classic black kind of girl.
I love the mid ii omni boots in shale!
I think the Minx shorty omni-heat print would be perfect for winters in Maryland.
Columbia makes such cute and practical winter things! I would love the tan minx boots like you have – would be perfect for tackling icy city streets!
I would love either the Black jacket or the boots you selected. I live in Illinois – so either would come in very handy.
Thank you.
Super cute jacket! I would love it in black.
I would love to stay active this winter… it’s hard because I live on the mountain, so these would be the perfect addition to help! I want to try snowshoeing this year. 🙂
I love that jacket–in any color! And I love those boots in the style you had. 🙂
The purple jacket for chilly winter days in Colorado!
Ooooooh….this actually excites me for winter… “) I would pick the tall minx boots in black!
I love the boots you chose — I just moved to Pittsburgh and I don’t think my target boots are going to cut it this winter !
I would love either. During the winter I usually bundle up and go for walks in the country with my family. I also love just being active and playing outside with my nephews.
I like the purple jacket and the same boots you got (Women’s minx pull on omni-heating print)
Both the jacket and boots are adorable! Last winter I picked up cross country skiing so this winter I’m planning on trying some races!
I love the purple jacket! I would definitely wear that!
We like to bundle up and shoot archery on cold days.
i definitely prefer indoor spin classes in the winter! the cool air is always so refreshing after all that cardio!
Awesome giveaway!!! My favorite winter activity is to hike or go to the beach. The water looks so neat frozen and no one else is there so my dog can run around! I never thought the beach could be “fun” in the wintertime. This year, I want to try snowshoeing.
I would love the purple jacket!
I love the purple jacket! What an awesome giveaway!
I freeze all winter so I would really love the jacket. I usually opt for black but that red looks fantastic on you. So I say red if I win please 🙂
I like the Mid Omni Boots in White. They would be perfect for Wisconsin winters!
I love to snowshoe in the winter. I really like the Women’s Minx™ Mid II Omni-Heat™ Boot in gray.
I love the boots- perfect for my favorite winter activity of sledding!
During the winter, I enjoy doing TurboFire or PiYo on DVD–Chalene Johnson kicks my butt into shape even when I’m feeling like hibernating! I’d love either the black jacket OR the Mid II Omni-Heat Boot in Shale. Awesome giveaway!
Love the coat & boots! My favorite winter workouts are spin classes and sled riding with my kids!!
i looove my columbia jacket- i’ve been wearing it everday!
i’m dreading the snowy winter this year, and would love the Mid II Omni-Heat boots!
I’ll be training for a March half marathon this winter! I actually kind of love cold weather running and all the cute pullovers ( and thumb holes!). I’m going for a sub 2 hour this time, so that will be motivation enough to get my butt out the door 🙂
I am not a fan of cold weather and this is my first year of college at UNC at chapel hill! I would love the red jacket and those boots are awesome!
I would LOVE the purple jacket!! So cute!
My two black labs keep me active through winters! Living in Wisconsin, I have to soak up any chance of “warm” weather and sunshine that I can get during winter!
Hey Julie!
I just moved to Denver, Colorado and know I will have no problem at all getting out this winter- as I know you experienced in your recent Boulder trip, the weather is AWESOME and sunny! I will be hiking around, skiing whenever I can and also, my favorite, getting in some hot yoga during the winter months. Hot yoga helps me warm up even in snowy temps and I also love how it helps keep my skin a little bit hydrated in the dry Denver air.
I love your pull on style of the Columbia Minx boots! The Minx Slip II Omni Heat look super warm with the thermal liner and stylist, and the pull on is totally a plus for getting in and out of yoga or skis 🙂
Thank you for the share!
Jocelyn
Living in MA I am blessed (and in need of warm gear, especially any of the mid omni heat boots) to stay active with skiing, snowshoeing trails near our house, and Les Mills classes at the gym. Thank you, Julie, for posting other ideas & will be looking into Amazon prime videos.
I would love either! I get my winter workouts in at home on the treadmill or outside shoveling snow!
Winter is my favorite season! i would love that jacket in black.
I love going running with my local running club and the cold weather accidentally forces me to do speed work because then I’m done faster;) I’ve only truly gone hiking a few times but after seeing all of your incredible pictures I totally need to get out there more often!