Elizabeth Smart, a kidnapping survivor who was abducted at knifepoint at age 14 from her Salt Lake City home in 2002, shared her latest bodybuilding endeavor in a post online, saying that she wants to "celebrate" her body, which “has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience.” 

The now 38-year-old child safety advocate and founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation posted a photo on social media on Tuesday showing her on stage in a bikini at a bodybuilding competition. Smart took first place in her category, "Fit Model Novice," at the Wasatch Warrior competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, earlier this month, competing under her married name, Elizabeth Gilmour.

"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!,'” Smart stated in the caption for her photo. 

The advocate and mother of three has quietly taken up bodybuilding as a hobby, writing in her social media post on Tuesday that she has competed in four competitions so far. 

Even though the Wasatch Warrior bodybuilding and fitness competition was not her first time participating in such an event, Smart admitted she was scared to post about her latest life update. 

"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 wrote. 

During the competition, however, Smart said that she realized how similar these thoughts and feelings are to what trauma survivors experience. 

Smart was kidnapped in 2002 and held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Ileen Barzee. During her captivity, Smart endured starvation, daily rapes and physical and psychological abuse. 

Since her rescue in March 2003, after a local resident recognized Smart and called 911 to report spotting the girl with her captors, Smart has worked to help other child-victim survivors and founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation to help prevent crimes against children.

In 2012, Smart married Matthew Gilmour, with whom she shares three children. 

“I think it’s easy to be labeled as one thing," she said in her Tuesday Instagram post in response to people only thinking of her as a kidnap victim, "and honestly, that’s not me nor do I think it’s any of us. [W]e 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,” she wrote. “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.” 

Reflecting on her new hobby, the survivor said that bodybuilding was a “big change,” but it pushed her and challenged her to not give up. 

“I am so proud of myself for doing this. I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it,” the child’s safety advocate declared.

“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,” Smart continued.

“I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can,” she added. “I only hope that we all find the courage to chase new experiences, goals, bettering ourselves, and most importantly happiness.”

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