Pingree Grove woman a finalist in Dr. Oz weight-loss challenge

From more than 1.2 million to 10 finalists, and Jen McElroy's one of them.

The 36-year-old Pingree Grove woman was named a Top 10 Transformation Nation Finalist as part of "The Dr. Oz Show" promotion, which challenges participants to lose weight and become healthier.

The winner, based on votes cast online at www.doctoroz.com through Sunday, wins $1 million.

"Honestly, what are the odds of anything like that happening," McElroy said of her finalist standing. "I kind of joined on a whim. ... I just never expected this would happen to me. I was like, 'Oh my God, who's life am I living right now?' "

Already flown to New York to tape a show that aired this past week, McElroy will fly back next week to film the the show in which the winner is announced. That show will air May 23. "The Dr. Oz Show" airs at 2 and 4 p.m. on Fox Chicago WFLD.

A member of Weight Watchers since July 2010, McElroy signed up this year to take part in Dr. Oz's Transformation Nation. The show partners with Weight Watchers and Sharecare to host the contest, which requires contestants to follow seven steps to weight loss and healthy living.

Those steps include telling a friend, doing an official weigh-in and BMI calculation, connecting with a doctor, learning the family's health history, getting more sleep, assessing stress and starting new fitness habits. Participants must write an essay and answer questions along the way.

The contest ran from September through April, when finalists were chosen. In that time, McElroy, a computer consultant who works from home, lost 46 pounds. In all, though, she's lost more than 182 pounds since her first Weight Watchers meeting. The transformation has helped her take control of her Crohn's disease and inspire others, including her husband, who's lost 50 pounds.

She shares her journey both through a video on the Dr. Oz website, as well as through a blog at suchafunnyfat.blogspot.com.

"I was the couch potato, the stereotypical couch potato," she said. "Now we barely have time to sit down and watch television."

She's planning a trip to Alaska to hike on a glacier.

"If you would have asked me three years ago, I'd say, 'You're crazy.' The weight loss is amazing," she said. "I feel like I have my life back."

The entire experience has been "surreal," she said. She even met Katie Couric while getting a makeover at a salon before last week's taping.

"This just doesn't happen to me," she said.

Along with the Weight Watchers eating plan, McElroy slowly added in exercises, first walking and now running at least three days a week and working out others.

She's taken part in 5Ks before, but intends to run, not walk, an entire race this weekend in Wisconsin. She'd like to do a half-marathon one day.

"As much as I enjoy the exercise, it still is sometimes a battle of 'I'm tired' or 'I don't feel like going' or 'my legs are sore,' " she said. "I just have to remind myself I never regret the workout once it's done."

Her goal is to lose about 50 more pounds, putting her in a healthy weight range for her height.

"I'm hoping to get there this year," she said. "I'm not putting a date on it because I don't want to feel like I fail if I don't make it. As long as I still lose weight, I win. It doesn't matter how long it takes. I just want to be healthy and be able to live a healthy life."