Elizabeth Smart's Bodybuilder Photo Reveal Is A Reminder No One Gets To Judge Your Health Goals

On April 21, 2026, Elizabeth Smart made headlines everywhere when she posted photos of herself looking strikingly fit in a tiny navy blue bikini and a pair of clear lucite stilettos while participating in a bodybuilding contest. As you may recall, Smart became a household name after being abducted in 2002 when she was only 14 years old. Miraculously, nine months later, she was delivered from the hands of her abductors and back to her family. Since then, Smart has made it her mission to help other survivors while also carving out a life for herself that is not defined by her harrowing and traumatic experience — one that apparently also includes bodybuilding. 

However, perhaps even more shocking than her bodybuilding photos was Smart's disclosure that this was not her first but her fourth bodybuilding competition. "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," she confessed. "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 declared about her sudden change of heart — to which we'd like to say BRAVO, SMART. If anything, Smart's bodybuilding revelation serves as a strong reminder to everyone that no one — and we mean absolutely NO ONE — gets to judge another's health goals.

Following Elizabeth Smart's revelation, her trainer, Robyn Maher, appeared on Extra TV, revealing all the nitty-gritty details about Smart's bodybuilding journey and how she ultimately snagged the first-place title, including a "healthy meal plan" and "weight training most days of the week." But according to Maher, Smart's resilience and her determination are her real superpowers. "We all know that emotionally and mentally, this woman's been through everything and come out on top," Maher said. Still, Maher was adamant that her client won the competition "fair and square." She added, "She didn't get any top award just because she's Elizabeth Smart."

And it appears that Smart is really on to something. While it's no secret that exercise is a great way to boost mental health, it turns out that strength training serves as a beneficial outlet for those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. "Perhaps it might be the sense of accomplishment and confidence that comes from exercising, rather than the achievement of actual strength gains," Jacob Meyer, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, told The Washington Post in 2020. "If the physiological adaptations associated with strength gains and muscle growth interact with the neurobiology of depression, then it may have different (and greater) effects on depression than aerobic training alone," he added.

That said, no matter the kind of exercise, anytime a person sets clear health and fitness goals for themself, they've already got a leg up on everyone else who is sitting at home, judging from the confines of their crusty old couch. Interested in following Smart's lead? Here's what you should know before you start bodybuilding.