A size 16 mum says she was so big she had to be strapped to a sledged and towed off a mountain on a stretcher after a skiing accident, and it shamed her into dropping five stone. Natalie Colbourne-Park jetted off to the ski resort of Val d'Isère in France in January 2024 with her family.

Just two hours after strapping into her skis, Natalie, who weighed 14st 7lbs, took a bone-crunching slow-pace fall The 43-year-old said her knees slid forward while her body tilted back, blaming her weight for the low-speed injury.

Pictures show a mortified Natalie being strapped onto a sledge and being hauled off the ski slope by paramedics. The 5ft 5in national sales manager suffered a broken right knee and needed reconstructive surgery, pinpointing the accident as the 'trigger' for her to lose weight.

In February 2024, Natalie started a course of Mounjaro jabs, and within six months she lost 5st 7lbs, dropping to nine stone and was able to wear a size six. While Natalie had tried multiple diets before, she said going on the jabs allowed her to take control of her weight and body.

The mum-of-two said she's grateful for her ski accident as it helped start her weight loss journey and, ultimately, achieve her goal, and it inspired Natalie to launch wellness brand HerVibe Supplements - a companion system to support women taking Mounjaro or Wegovy.

Natalie, from Shropshire, West Midlands, said: "I had a skiing injury two years ago, which is what prompted me to start Mounjaro. "That 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.

"I had to be rescued, and my kids found it hilarious. They put me on a stretcher and put a plastic blanket on me. It was just frustrating more than anything. It was the first day and we were only there for two hours. 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, it made the holiday more difficult. I knew I would need surgery, I knew I was carrying extra weight that was going to impede my recovery, and at that point I thought, 'I'm going to try this'.

"That was the trigger that prompted me to try the weight loss medication. I started skiing because of my partner, who is an adrenaline junkie. We just love it, it's a brilliant family holiday. We go once, maybe twice a year.

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"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. Despite trying various diets over the years, Natalie says using Mounjaro was the only thing that has worked for her.

Natalie said: "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. 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.

"It took me six months to hit my weight, I've been the same weight now for 18 months. I feel incredibly confident, my kids see that because they say 'Mummy, you look so much happier now than you were when you were fat'.

"I had never been slim as a teenager. I wasn't a binge-eater, but was naturally predisposed to putting weight on. 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.

"I don't snack a lot anymore, I don't boredom eat, I know what foods are good for me. I went from having to buy very masculine ski-wear like XL trousers and jackets, to buying myself an all-in-one ski-suit in a size small this year.

"Life is just easier when you're not overweight. I'm more agile, being able to bend down and put my ski boots on and put my kids' ski boots on."

Early in her Mounjaro journey, Natalie was 'rattling' with pills, as she was taking a whopping 18 supplements a day, forking out more than £2,000 throughout her transformation journey. This experience, coupled with her professional background in pharmaceuticals and medical aesthetics, inspired her to create HerVibe.

Natalie said: "I was just trying to protect my body and minimise side effects on Mounjaro. I was using two pill organisers because there were so many that they didn't fit in one. I was absolutely rattling with pills, I was so full of capsules. I stopped taking them when we locked in the formulation for HerVibe last June.

"I wanted to create something that is accessible, easy and sustainable. It's very discreet, and that was done with intention. There are lots of supplements on the market that try to replace the jab. HerVibe isn't that, it's designed as a companion to sit alongside the journey.