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Vegetarian Blogging

On Tues evening, after a long 10-hour day of interning at the hospital, I was super excited to receive the latest Vegetarian Nutrition Update Volume XIX, Number 3, 2011 in the mail. I quickly turned to pg 12 only to see my article on Vegetarian Blogging. I wrote this article back in the fall and have waited very patiently to see it in the magazine. Similar to writing for LAVA magazine last summer, there is a long waiting period after you submit an article and then see it in print. Well, the wait is over and I am really happy to see my first-ever article in a magazine associated with the American Dietetic Association.

Vegetarian Nutrition is a dietetic practice group of the ADA.
Here are some great links:
http://vndpg.org/
http://www.vrg.org/
http://vegetariannutrition.net/

I hope you enjoy my latest article!

Vegetarian Blogging
Marni Sumbal, MS

Web-log: A personal diary, an unfiltered chronicle of life, a photo album, a research tool or a publication of interesting facts. Although the definition may vary, a blog is nothing more than an online journal, arranged chronologically, intended for a specific audience.
To the aspiring writer, blogging is an online avenue of creative freedom, by which thoughts and voices are shared with the world. Blogging is a way to express ideas, share experiences with friends and family or enlighten others with knowledge and practical experiences.

Certainly, blogging is not for everyone. Blogging takes time, creativity and organization and requires a healthy, thick-skinned, ego. Success in the blog world isn’t about quality writing but rather connecting to the outside world. Whether you are a potential blogger or experienced blogger, the most important component of blogging is that you stick with it and follow your passion.

Now more than ever, vegetarianism is gaining a great deal of popularity due to a large amount of scientific evidence demonstrating that a plant-based diet is advantageous both for individuals and the planet. Done correctly, the vegetarian lifestyle is a very healthy way of eating and living. However, living a vegetarian lifestyle isn’t for everyone. But, as a health-minded individual, you are likely living a lifestyle that many aspire to achieve.


As an advocate of healthy and active living, you are probably extremely dedicated and passionate about your life. Have you ever considered using your knowledge of plan-based eating to reach out to others?

Blogging is a great way to share your experiences, opinions and ideas for a health-promoting, energetic vegetarian life.

Here are a few tips for creating a great vegetarian blog.

1. Create a focus – Keep your posts related to your overall theme. Whether you are writing about vegetarian recipes, being a semi-vegetarianism, your experience as a vegetarian athlete or your knowledge of vegan pregnancy, your readers are going to gravitate to your blog because of your passion and clear concept.
2. Send out a thought-provoking message – Although many people will relate to your blog, keep in mind that not everyone will agree with your thoughts and ideas. Learn how to communicate an idea without being insensitive to others and to help others consider a different view point.
3. Blog regularly – Once a blog reader connects with your blog, they will look forward to new posts on a daily basis. Because blogging takes time and commitment, try to blog at least once every other day (around the same time) in order to keep readers coming back to your blog. Not every blog needs to be the same length.
4. Keep it mid-length, concise, simple and accurate – Try to entertain readers. Avoid overwhelming the reader with everything you know but at the same time, keep your writing professional. If you blogs become too wordy or contain grammatical mistakes, people will not take you seriously and will stop reading your blog.
5. Involve the reader- Ask questions to your readers and encourage reader comments. It’s very easy to feel inspired by others and with the help of your blog readers, you may find yourself blogging more often and consistently.
6. Demonstrate your credentials – Do not mislead the reader. It’s important that a blog reader trusts that you know what you are talking about and have the necessary qualifications to back up your statements. You worked very hard for your credentials so inform others that you are a professional in your field.
7. Provide links, sources and research –Even if you are a passionate vegetarian, experiences can only take you so far in the blogging world. Educate your readers and be sure to cite sources. Although you aren’t getting paid to write an article on your blog, take your writing seriously. Next time you receive a journal or read an online research study or article, blog about it. Typically, as an educated professional, you will hear or read ground breaking news and research before the majority of the population. There’s nothing more exciting to your blog followers than providing “hot off the press” info with your readers. Although anybody can blog about the many sources of quality protein in a vegetarian diet, providing the reader with links, research and sources will validate your statements and demonstrate your knowledge.
8. Tell others who you are – Although we all love a good mystery, set aside a blog or two (which people can easily refer to either as a bio on the side of your blog or a separate blog page) telling others about yourself. You do not need to provide too much personal detail, but be sure to tell how your philosophy relates to your background story.
9. Stay positive – You want to inspire, not offend. As you blog about your experiences of eating vegetarian while on the road or being a vegen for a week, you certainly do not want your frustrations to bring down others and discourage your readers of maintaining, considering or trying some type of vegetarian diet.
10. Take pictures – Blog readers love pictures, primarily of food. If you are encouraging others to get more active in the kitchen, blogging about animal rights or blogging about certain vegetarian products, give the reader a visual, not just a detailed paragraph about your vegetarian meatloaf or the beautiful selection of veggies at your local farmer’s market.


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Marni Sumbal holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology, is a USAT Level-1 triathlon coach, is a Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSM) and holds a certificate of training in adult weight management from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR. She is currently participating in a distance dietetic internship in Jacksonville, FL and is a 4x Ironman Triathlon finisher.