weight loss and finish lines

Okay...I know I have covered this before but I need to do this again...the concept of a "finish line" when it comes to your weight loss efforts. I had a patient reenter the program yesterday and the main motivation was a wedding that will take place in several months. The person wants to lose 30 pounds for the wedding. Motivation? Obviously to look younger and better in the gown. Pictures will look much better, the person will feel much better about herself and others will look at her and give lots of compliments. All of this is great....BUT.....what happens the day after the wedding??? Will it be perceived that the "job is over" and now back to the same behavior patterns that caused the weight gain to begin with??? I tried very hard yesterday to have the patient see that the reason for the weight loss is a good short term one, but there are long term reasons that necessitate no "finish line" being perceived on the date of the wedding. If that finish line is visualized, the patient will in fact gain all the weight back. It is very important to look at the long term as well and regarding weight control, there is no "finish line".