“My job involves a lot of pressure, which can cause me to stress-eat. Cycling has been an integral part of my effort to fight that reaction, keep my weight under control and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” he says.

Like many amateur cyclists, riding has been the exercise of choice for Rob Weissman to stay healthy and keep his weight in check. Weissman, 54, a lawyer from White Plains, N.Y., and father of two teenagers, has struggled with his weight for most of his adult life, which he describes as “being on a roller coaster,” where his weight can fluctuate as much as 60 pounds.

“My job involves a lot of pressure, which can cause me to stress-eat. Cycling has been an integral part of my effort to fight that reaction, keep my weight under control and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” he says.

As a child, Weissman had uncontrolled epilepsy for six years, but eventually got it under control by being among the very early participants in the ketogenic diet, which included drinking MCT oil daily, which are chains of fat called medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT, which is commonly extracted from coconut oil and palm oil.

“While some people now follow this diet and drink MCT as part of a popular weight loss regimen, in the 1970s they were used for control of medical conditions,” he explains. “The seizures set me back in school for a long time, but eventually, after getting them under control, I caught up and, thankfully, have been seizure-free since my teenage years.”

Today, Weissman lives in Westchester County, New York, just across the Hudson River from the GFNY NYC course, where he is a partner in a civil litigation law firm. He is pleased to report that his most recent annual physical showed that his resting heart rate, blood pressure and weight were “the best that they have been in decades. I attribute a lot of that to regular cycling.”

His cycling journey began early, at six years old, when he learned to ride a bike. By 12, he had his first road bike, a candy apple red Fuji ten speed, complete with a tool set, the classic “Anybody’s Bike Book” maintenance and repair manual, and a red-and-white Fuji cycling cap. (No helmets in those days either, he notes.)

“I loved it, and I rode it everywhere well into my 20s, even when it became too small for me,” he says. 

At 15, he took apart and rebuilt his old banana-seat bike from when he was eight years old, converting it into a dirt bike with a reinforced fork, new handlebars and seat, and off-road tires.

“I promptly took it over a ramp, forgot that it still had kids brakes that lock up when you step hard on the pedals, and flipped upside down,” he recalls, breaking his collar bone. “That didn’t deter me though, and I was quickly back on my road bike, pushing it as fast as I could down my local hills.”

“I love riding because it takes me back to the joy of those childhood and teenage years. The thrill of speed on descents, the peacefulness and tranquility of a mind-clearing solo ride, and the ability to just go out and explore someplace new at any given time,” he says.

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