After enduring a truly horrific kidnapping experience that no one deserves to be put through, Elizabeth Smart has gone on to achieve several noteworthy accomplishments.
The child-safety activist has published numerous books, been honored with several awards, was the subject of an acclaimed Netflix documentary, and even competed on the short-lived Fox reality competition The Masked Dancer.
The 38-year-old author and activist can add a slightly unexpected accomplishment to that list, however: bodybuilding.
Smart recently shared a photo of herself in a tight-fitting navy blue bikini and displaying an impressive, chiseled physique while competing in the Wasatch Warrior bodybuilding and fitness competition in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The photo got such a large reaction from Smart's Instagram followers that she eventually posted it to her page, all the while explaining how she came to bodybuilding:
Smart first disclosed that she was as surprised as anyone to find herself on stage at a bodybuilding competition:
"When I posted the pictures in my story of me standing on stage in a bikini it probably shocked many of you, and I understand the shock because had you asked me if I would ever compete in a bodybuilding show a couple of years ago I would have said, 'absolutely not! Never in 100 years!'”
She later revealed that this was not her first time participating in a bodybuilding competition, but rather her fourth, and she only now felt comfortable sharing it with the greater public.
She explained how reflecting upon her experience as a kidnapping survivor eventually led to her empowerment:
"This is actually the fourth competition I’ve done, but I was too afraid to post it before."
"Worried that I would be judged, not taken seriously, somehow perceived as less than or now unworthy to continue work as an advocate for all survivors."
"Then this past weekend it struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors."
"I think it’s easy to be labeled as one thing, and honestly, that’s not me nor do I think it’s any of us we are more than just one topic, one idea, one label."
"I am interested in many things, and as I get older I realize more and more how important it is to make the most of today, we don’t know what tomorrow brings."
"And I don’t want to reach the end of my life and look back and feel regret for only living a half-life, not going after all the things I want to do and try."
Smart made no secret of how demanding bodybuilding is, but said that the emotional payoff was as good or better than the physical payoff:
"This was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up."
"I am so proud of myself for doing this."
"I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it."
"My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience, it’s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it."
"I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can."
"I only hope that we all find the courage to chase new experiences, goals, bettering ourselves, and most importantly happiness."
The post ended with Smart giving a shoutout to her trainer, Robyn Maher, her makeup artist, Katie Livingston, photographer Mitchell Gilbert, who captured Smart in the now viral pose, and to the Wasatch Warrior show.
Smart's photo and heartfelt post were met with a standing ovation from her Instagram followers, even earning shoutouts from pop singer Debbie Gibson and fellow abduction survivor Kara Robinson Chamberlain:
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X (formerly Twitter) users also shared their admiration for Smart and her new efforts:
After having her body under the control of others against her will for nine months, it's understandable that Smart would want to make sure she was not only in complete control of her body, but proud of it.
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