Elizabeth Smart revealed she’s a competitive bodybuilder, posting a shocking photo of her ultra-fit physique.
Smart, 38, shared a photo of herself in a navy blue bikini and clear heels on Instagram Tuesday, telling her followers that it’s from her fourth bodybuilding competition that she competed in over the weekend.
The mother of three looked confident as she struck a pose onstage, highlighting her toned muscles and flashing a big smile.
The child safety advocate admitted she was previously too scared to post about competing in bodybuilding competitions.
“[I was] 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,” she explained. “Then this past weekend it struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors.”
Smart said she didn’t want to be labeled as just one thing, and wanted to live her life with no regrets.
“This was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up,” she shared. “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,” she continued.
She concluded, “I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can.”
Smart competed at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City on Saturday, in the entry-level category, according to Fox 11.
And she didn’t go home empty-handed — she took home first place in the novice category, third in the Masters 35+ category, and second in Class D, the outlet reported.
After she was rescued by police on March 12, 2003, following nine months of being held captive, she became an advocate for survivors of sexual violence and a child safety activist through her work with the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.
Smart got married in September 2012 to her husband, Matthew Gilmour. They have three children together: Chloé, 11, James, 9, and Olivia, 6.
