Woman, Who Weighed 203 Lbs., Was Inspired to Lose Weight After She Had to Be Towed Off Mountain During Ski Trip

“I was completely embarrassed. … I caused chaos for everybody,” Natalie Colbourne-Park recalled

NEED TO KNOW

• A U.K. woman revealed a ski accident in 2024 caused by her weight prompted her to take control of her health
• Natalie Colbourne-Park, 43, said she was 5 foot, 5 inches tall and weighed 203 lbs. at the time of the incident
• She has since lost 70 pounds and said she is grateful for the “ “frustrating” experience on the ski slope

A U.K. woman revealed a ski accident that left her feeling “embarrassed” inspired her to take control of her health and lose 70 pounds.

Natalie Colbourne-Park, 43, was on vacation in the French Alps in January 2024 when the incident occurred, according to Kennedy News.

"[It] was caused by the fact that I was overweight, because it was a very slow-paced injury. My knee went down the hill, and the rest of my body went up the hill, and it snapped my knee,” the mom of two from Shropshire explained.

"I had to be rescued … they put me on a stretcher and put a plastic blanket on me,” Colbourne-Park continued, adding that the entire experience was "frustrating."

“It was the first day [of our vacation] and we were only there for two hours,” she said. "I was completely embarrassed. I was skiing with my family and my in-laws, and I caused chaos for everybody. My kids were distressed because I was being sent away in an ambulance.” 

Colbourne-Park, who is 5 foot, 5 inches tall and weighed 203 pounds at the time, added that she had struggled with her weight for years.

"I had never been slim as a teenager. I wasn't a binge-eater, but was naturally predisposed to putting weight on,” she told the outlet. “One of my issues was portion control. I would put the same amount of food on mine and my husband's plate, and it escalated from there.”

She said that after the mountain-side fiasco, she learned she would need surgery on the injured knee — and she knew “carrying extra weight … was going to impede my recovery.” 

It was at that point that she said she decided to take decisive action. She went on the GLP-1 drug Mounjaro, and said she began to see real, sustainable results for the first time in her life.

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"I've tried so many different diets. I lost the weight and put it all back on. With every diet that I've tried I feel like I'm fighting my body, while with Mounjaro I feel like I'm in control,” explained Colbourne-Park, who said she lost 70 pounds in six months.

"It transformed how I felt about taking control of my weight. I wasn't denying myself anything, I just didn't have the food noise,” she added. "I don't snack a lot anymore. I don't boredom eat. I know what foods are good for me.”

Colbourne-Park went on to say that she now feels “incredibly confident,” and that life is “just easier” now.

“I'm more agile. [I’m] able to bend down and put my ski boots on and put my kids' ski boots on,” she said.

She added that she has grown to feel grateful for her past ordeal on that ski slope, because it kick-started her health and wellness journey.

"I was embarrassed and frustrated that I'd done it, but in hindsight, it's the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me because I wouldn't be where I am now,” she said.

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Colbourne-Park, who is a sales manager with a background in pharmaceuticals and aesthetic medicine, has since used her personal experience to create HerVibe, a supplement designed to complement GLP-1 use and help tackle potential side effects.

"I wanted to create something that is accessible, easy and sustainable … There are lots of supplements on the market that try to replace [GLP-1s]. HerVibe isn't that. It's designed as a companion to sit alongside the journey,” she explained.

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