Elizabeth Smart is in her bodybuilding era, and it’s epic. The activist and survivor has been quietly competing in bodybuilding, revealing on social media that she has competed in four competitions. Over the weekend, she took first place in her category, “Fit Model Novice” at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she competed under her married name, Elizabeth Gilmour.
© NPC Wasatch WarriorShe shared a photo looking ripped on stage, with a heartfelt caption. “When I posted the pictures… it probably shocked many of you,” Smart wrote. “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!”
© NPC Wasatch WarriorFor a woman who has survived literal hell, she admitted she was afraid to post pictures of herself competing. “This is actually the fourth competition I’ve done, but I was too afraid to post it before,” she admitted, pointing to something deeper than stage nerves. “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.”
That hesitation and that fear of being boxed in is exactly what pushed her to finally share. “It struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors,” she wrote. “I think it’s easy to be labeled as one thing… we are more than just one topic, one idea, one label.”
© NPC Wasatch WarriorAnd for Smart, this moment is about refusing to live small. “I don’t want to reach the end of my life and look back and feel regret for only living a half-life,” she said. “Not going after all the things I want to do and try.”
She’s not downplaying how hard it was either. “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.”
© NPC Wasatch Warrior“My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish, grueling experience… my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with… so I refuse to be ashamed of it,” she continued.
So stepping onto a bodybuilding stage, in a bikini, no less, isn’t just about fitness. It’s about reclaiming narrative.
Her story
© GettyAt just 14 years old, on June 5, 2002, Smart was abducted from her home at knifepoint by Brian David Mitchell. It was a media storm that gripped the country for months, with missing people fliers, and her parents pleading for the kidnapper to return their daughter on television.
Brian had kept her captive in a campsite on the outskirts of Salt Lake City and later in San Diego County with his wife, Wanda Barzee.
Elizabeth was often in public with her captors, dressed head to toe in white robes. She was identified by police in Sandy, Utah, approximately 18 miles from her home, nine months after her abduction.
© GettySince then, she’s built a life not just as a survivor, but as one of the most visible advocates for victims of abuse.
Brian was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and is now 72 years old. Baree was sentenced to 15 years in prison and was paroled after 9 years. She is now 80 years old.
Why movement can matter for survivors
Physical activity can be a powerful tool for people recovering from trauma. According to the American Psychological Association, exercise can help regulate stress responses, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve overall emotional resilience.
Trauma specialists also note that reconnecting with the body, through strength training, movement, or structured fitness, can help rebuild a sense of control and safety.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org to connect with a trained counselor through RAINN.
