{"id":81811,"date":"2026-04-22T06:10:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T06:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/why-elizabeth-smart-is-sharing-her-bikini-bodybuilding-pics\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T06:10:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T06:10:07","slug":"why-elizabeth-smart-is-sharing-her-bikini-bodybuilding-pics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/why-elizabeth-smart-is-sharing-her-bikini-bodybuilding-pics\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Elizabeth Smart Is Sharing Her Bikini Bodybuilding Pics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p><strong>Elizabeth Smart<\/strong> is continuing to take back her power after being abducted as a teen \u2014 but her latest source of self-love may seem a bit unconventional to some.<\/p>\n<p>Smart, 38, showed off her chiseled abs and bikini body in honor of her new passion for body building via Instagram on Tuesday, April 21. The photo surprised some of Smart\u2019s social media followers, but the survivor is no longer worried about the criticism.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI 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, \u2018Absolutely not! Never in 100 years!\u2019\u201d Smart wrote via Instagram, noting that although the toned bikini snap is from her fourth competition, she was \u201ctoo afraid to post it before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Detours<\/em> author confessed she was \u201cworried 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-873808204-how-many-siblings-elizabeth-smart-have.jpg?crop=0px%2C57px%2C1200px%2C677px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"How Many Siblings Does Elizabeth Smart Have? Meet the Kidnapping Survivor\u2019s 4 Brothers and 1 Sister\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" data-fallback-img=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-873808204-how-many-siblings-elizabeth-smart-have.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n<p>    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">How Many Siblings Does Elizabeth Smart Have? Meet Her 4 Brothers, 1 Sister<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tElizabeth Smart lived through the unthinkable when she was kidnapped from her own bedroom in 2002 when she was just 14 years old. More than two decades later, Elizabeth has credited her family with helping her deal with the traumatic experience. While her parents, Ed Smart and Lois Smart, previously spoke to the media about [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Smart noted that all of a sudden it \u201cstruck\u201d her \u201chow eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After that ah-ha moment, Smart decided to post the competition photo \u2014 which shows off her abs, lean arms and muscular legs in a bathing suit while posing for the judges \u2014 as a way to fight back against the online noise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s easy to be labeled as one thing, and honestly, that\u2019s not me nor do I think it\u2019s any of us. We are more than just one topic, one idea, one label,\u201d Smart explained. \u201cI 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\u2019t know what tomorrow brings.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DXZszBVERgL\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>She noted that she doesn\u2019t want to \u201clook back and feel regret for only living a half-life, not going after all that I want to do and try\u201d out of fear.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to why she chose bodybuilding, Smart told her followers the difficulty level played a big part.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI am so proud of myself for doing this. I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1961373-elizabeth-smart-parents-ed-lois.jpg?crop=0px%2C5px%2C1200px%2C679px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Who Are Elizabeth Smart's Parents? Meet Dad Ed Smart and Mom Lois Smart 2 Decades After Kidnapping\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" data-fallback-img=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1961373-elizabeth-smart-parents-ed-lois.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n<p>    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Who Are Elizabeth Smart&#8217;s Parents? Meet Dad Ed Smart and Mom Lois Smart<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tWhen Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped and abducted out of her childhood bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, back in 2002, her family was catapulted into the spotlight as the world set out to find her. While Elizabeth\u2019s parents, Ed Smart and Lois Smart, were quick to speak to the media about their daughter\u2019s disappearance, the [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Smart pointed out that her body has \u201ccarried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience\u201d as well as the creation and nurturing of her three \u201cbeautiful children.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it,\u201d she continued. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Kidnapped-Elizabeth-Smart-Courtesy-of-Netflix.jpg?crop=260px%2C0px%2C1482px%2C838px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Kidnapped Elizabeth Smart Courtesy of Netflix\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" data-fallback-img=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Kidnapped-Elizabeth-Smart-Courtesy-of-Netflix.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n<p>    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Elizabeth Smart to Discuss Abduction in Netflix\u2019s \u2018Kidnapped\u2019 Documentary<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore than two decades after Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom, she is sharing more details about the experience in Netflix\u2019s documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart. Us Weekly breaks down everything you need to know about the new documentary, including insight into Smart\u2019s notorious, headline-generating case, why she wanted to tell her [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Smart\u2019s bodybuilding venture is her latest way to live life to the fullest since she was kidnapped from her bedroom in June 2002 when she was 14 years old. After a little more than nine months of captivity, during which time she was subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse, police rescued Smart in March 2003.<\/p>\n<p>She has since become an advocate for survivors, told her story publicly in two books and opened up about the horror she endured in Netflix\u2019s 2026 documentary <em>Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"news-block\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form  \">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-narrow\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-wide\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__success\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<h3>Thank You!<\/h3>\n<p>You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI want survivors to know it\u2019s not their fault,\u201d Smart told <em>People<\/em> in January. \u201cThey don\u2019t need to be embarrassed and they don\u2019t need to carry this burden. They shouldn\u2019t carry it at all, but if they are going to carry it, they\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elizabeth Smart is continuing to take back her power after being abducted as a teen \u2014 but her latest source of self-love may seem a bit unconventional to some. Smart, 38, showed off her chiseled abs and bikini body in honor of her new passion for body building via Instagram on Tuesday, April 21. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":81812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_daextam_enable_autolinks":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Elizabeth-Smart-Flexes-Chiseled-Abs-in-Bikini-at-Bodybuilding-Competition-Advocates-for-Survivors-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81811\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}