Elizabeth Smart has spent more than two decades reclaiming her story — first as a kidnapping survivor, then as a wife, mother and advocate for sexual violence victims. Now, she is stepping into a new chapter as a competitive bodybuilder, and she says the sport has fundamentally changed how she sees herself.
“I always felt like there was a way I needed to present myself,” Smart exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2026. “Bodybuilding has helped free me.”
Smart first stunned social media followers in April 2026 when she shared a photo of herself in a blue bikini and high heels, revealing a dramatic physical transformation. The reveal came nearly 23 years after the Salt Lake City native was abducted from her bedroom at age 14 — a case that captivated the nation and continued to draw renewed attention through Netflix’s January 2026 documentary, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.
Elizabeth Smart’s Kidnapping and Rescue
Smart was kidnapped on June 5, 2002, by Brian David Mitchell, a drifter her family had previously hired to help around their home. She wasn’t rescued until March 12, 2003, marking more than nine months of captivity.
During that time, Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, held Smart at a campsite, where she endured sexual assault, physical abuse and psychological manipulation. Mitchell, who claimed to be a prophet acting on commands from God, declared Smart his “wife” on the night of the abduction and raped her.
“It didn’t matter what I did. Ultimately, he raped me,” Smart recalled in the Netflix documentary. “I remember being in a lot of pain. I remember begging him to stop.”
Smart also revealed that Mitchell had planned to kidnap seven young girls in total. She was eventually rescued after convincing Mitchell to return to Salt Lake City by telling him God had commanded it, and citizens recognized the trio from a composite sketch and alerted police.
Mitchell was convicted in December 2011 and sentenced to life in federal prison. Barzee received a 15 year sentence and was released in 2018.
Elizabeth Smart’s Bodybuilding Transformation
Smart began her competitive bodybuilding journey in January 2025 and has since lost roughly 30 pounds. The goal-oriented nature of the sport appealed to her in a way few other pursuits have.
“I’ve always liked having a goal from when I studied music in school to then marathon running and wanting to improve my time,” Smart told Us. “Having a very clear, defined goal with a due date, something to work towards really appealed to me that way.”
In April 2026, Smart competed in the Wasatch Warrior fitness competition in Salt Lake City, entering under her married name. She has been married to Matthew Gilmour since 2012, and the couple shares three children: Chloe, James and Olivia.
Smart placed first in the Fit Model Novice category, second in Fit Model D and third in Fit Model Masters 35+. Fellow competitor Lila Cowdell, who finished third in Fit Model D, told Us she had no idea she was sharing the stage with Smart.
“We competed in the same class. I actually had no idea it was her,” Cowdell said. “She held herself very tall and she’s very humble.”
Inside Elizabeth Smart’s Fitness Routine and Diet
Smart trains five to six days a week for 45 minutes, focusing on isolated muscle groups and lifting as heavily as possible. She previously revealed she can deadlift while holding a 65-pound dumbbell in each hand.
“It’s good to have a coach around [to] spot me or [say], ‘No, you can do heavier,’” Smart told Us. “It’s a lot of work, but I didn’t know just how much work it was gonna be.”
The shorter training sessions have actually given Smart more time with her kids compared to her previous marathon training. “Running took up hours and hours and hours, and then I was exhausted the rest of the day,” she said. “My long training runs got to a point where they were just so long that once I finished them, I didn’t want to do anything the rest of the day.”
She also aims for 10,000 steps a day through everyday activities. “So cleaning my house, walking my dog, stepping on the treadmill … however, I get 10,000 steps in a day, that’s typically my goal,” she explained.
Smart admitted that sticking to a diet has been the hardest part of her transformation. “I really enjoy food. I like food,” she said. “Eating will always be, physically, mentally, the hardest.”
Elizabeth Smart Responds to Online Backlash About Bodybuilding
After Smart revealed her bodybuilding transformation on Instagram, she faced a wave of online criticism. She later wrote that she feared being judged as “unworthy to continue work as an advocate for all survivors.”
Her fellow competitors quickly came to her defense. Cowdell told Us she was “frustrated with the backlash” Smart received.
“She is getting quite a bit of hate and doesn’t deserve to be a victim,” Cowdell said. “This is a sport that people work so hard for and it takes a lot of discipline and strength for a normal person let alone someone who has gone through such trauma and pain. I applaud her for taking back her body and presenting it with such confidence.”
Competitor Jimmy Rex, who briefly met Smart years earlier at a game night in Provo, Utah, echoed that sentiment.
“I just thought it was really cool,” Rex told Us. “I know how much like doing the show helps you, just for self confidence.”
Rex also offered his theory on why critics targeted Smart. “When you see somebody like Elizabeth Smart [doing] that, you react one of two ways. You either say, ‘I need to make that person wrong,’ or you [have] to change yourself because you don’t feel good about yourself,” he said.
Cowdell added that Smart’s resilience is its own form of inspiration. “It’s so empowering for her to go through such a hard thing and show her confidence and build the mental game that bodybuilding requires,” she said. “I would say not everyone can do it.”
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
