5 Ways to Feel Warm in the Wintertime

Thank you Idahoan® Steakhouse® Soups for sponsoring this post. Stay warm with this winter with a cozy bowl of soup!

It's no secret to my regular readers that I am not a fan of winter. At all. Aside from the holiday season, there is very little I find enjoyable about the cold months here in Chicago, and I'm basically counting down the days until spring as soon as I see the first leaf drop off a tree. I don't want to cover myself in endless layers just to go get the mail. I want to be able to walk outside in bare feet and a sun dress and feel the sun shining on my face, man.

That said, I find that in the wintertime - and in life in general - self pity and a negative attitude don't get you very far. So instead of curling up in a ball and weeping for (at the very least) four months of the year, I try to find ways to make the most of freezing temps and gray skies. And the biggest way I do that is finding simple ways for my family and myself to feel warm, even when it's snowing and brutally cold outside. Today I thought I'd share some of my tips for staying toasty, just in case you're in need of some wintertime warming up yourself.

1. Pile on the blankets. I know, I know. It's a no brainer. Do it any way. I can have on seven sweaters and three pairs of socks, and I still feel cold until I get under blankets. The psychological aspect of associating blankets with coziness and warmth is what does it for me more than the actual physical increase in body temperature.

2. Run a humidifier. I recently read something that said that because humidity in the air slows down how quickly perspiration on the skin evaporates (which has a cooling effect), you'll feel like the air temperature is warmer. I swear I notice this when I have mine running, so I'm going with it.

3. Listen to summertime music, or watch a movie that takes place in a warm climate. This is another psychological one that works for me (and my family) in a big way. Even watching Moana with my daughter makes me feel like I'm running around in a tropical location for a couple of hours. Try it!

4. Move. Even if you can't do a full work out, some simple jumping jacks for a minute or two will increase your body temperature. There are also some forms of yoga that help raise body temperature just through breathing. If I'm working and start feeling cold, I get up and briskly walk around the house for ten minutes. It does the trick.

5. Eat lots of warm comfort foods. In my opinion, this is hands down the best way to feel warm in the wintertime. (Hence all of the food photos in this post.) And when it comes to winter comfort foods, our go-to is Idahoan® Steakhouse® Soups. We stock up on all four flavors: Loaded Potato, Creamy Potato, Cheddar Broccoli, and Cheddar Potato, and whenever we need an edible winter warm-up, we whip one up. It only takes five minutes to prepare, but has the same flavorful, slow-cooked taste of restaurant-quality soups served at my favorite eateries. Idahoan Steakhouse Soups are also such easy meals to prepare in a pinch during the holiday season - and anything that makes the holidays less stressful is instantly my favorite in my book. Warm winter comfort perfection, guys.

Fellow summer fans (and winter fans too!), how do you seek warmth and comfort during the cold months? I'll take any tips you've got!

Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bubby and Bean possible. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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