About Us

At the practice we strive for excellence. We are a non-diet and HAES (Health at Every Size) practice. Our approach to nutrition and counselling is different than the traditional approach of weight loss as health indicator. According to research only 5% of individuals who actively try to lose weight can keep it off long term (more than 5 years). This made us realize that more focus should be placed on improving overall health and well being, without focusing on weight loss as a predictor of health. We aim to individualize each session and provide information and goals suited to your needs and everyday life. Follow up appointments are crucial to achieve your personal goals.

OUR NUTRITIONAL MODEL

MISSION

Imagine all the Possibilities.

VISION

At Imagine Dietitians we believe that a whole new life can open up for you once you have been freed from diet culture, rules and rigidity, which is always followed by feelings of guilt and failure when you break a rule, and sources of external motivation. No-one knows you (and your body) better than you. Our role is to help you get back in tune with your body’s cues.

 GOALS

  • Free you from diet culture
  • Guide you through the different types of hunger and how satiety can feel different on different days.
  • Support you in finding your inner nutrition ally.
  • Help you work through the nutrition noise and identify what are facts and fiction.
  • Empower you to identify your body’s needs (for nutrition and movement) in a gentle and compassionate way.
  • Provide you with a safe space to learn more about your body.
  • Provide you with resources should you want to do more research between sessions.

Get to know the team…

Chantel Walker

Chantel Walker

Registered Dietitian

Registered dietitian, business owner, amateur baker, avid reader, keen traveller and foodie

Chantel started her dietetics career at the University of Stellenbosch in 2010. After graduating in 2013 she decided to choose a town far away from home to start her community service year at, and was placed at Sabie Hospital in Mpumalanga. She gained valuable knowledge in this year as she worked in the male and female general wards, clinics, paediatric and maternity wards. After her community service year she packed her bags and moved back to the Western Cape, where she started at an established private practice in Worcester. She eventually decided to start a private practice of her own – Imagine Dietitians and officially opened the doors in Stellenbosch, January 2016.

Chantel is passionate about assisting her clients with making sustainable lifestyle choices by following an individualized approach with each person that walks into her office. She is a firm believer of intuitive eating and practices these guidelines at each session. Her areas of interest include critical care (ICU), chronic diseases of the lifestyle (diabetes – type 1 and type 2, hypercholesterolaemia), disordered eating, emotional eaters and eating disorders, palliative care, women’s health (PCOS, hypothyroidism) and gastro-intestinal diseases, as well as peri-operative nutrition.

Qualifications / Courses:

  • BSc Dietetics Honours (Stellenbosch)
  • Infant Feeding Course, BFHI (Western Cape Department of Health)
  • CDE – 5-Day Advanced Course in Diabetes Care (CDE, Johannesburg)
  • Bariatric Accredited Dietitian (CEMMSSA)
  • Optifast Accredited Dietitian (CDE & Nestlé)
  • Eat Fit IBS Trained Dietitian (Eat Fit South Africa)
  • Minding the Food Space (Julie Dean-Williams, Module 1 – 7, Eating Disorders)
  • Eating Disorders for Registered Dietitians (Shawna Melbourne, 1-Year Course)
  • Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor (Intuitive Eating Organization, Evelyn Tribole)
  • Inclusive Eating Disorder Care (The Mindful Dietitian)
  • Nutrition Counselling for Eating Disorders 3.0 (Marci Evans, In Progress)
  • Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Course for Dietitians (Fiona Sutherland and Aaron Flores)

Chantel’s activities when she is not at the office:

Chantel loves to bake and decorate cakes for friends and family’s special occasions, like birthday parties, baby showers and kitchen teas. She will gladly entertain and cook for loved ones at home as often as she can. When she is not cooking regular, everyday meals, she is experimenting with new recipes and flavours – often leaving her friends and family having to be the guinea pigs. She loves to read and has a variety of books on her bookshelf at home: ranging from economic topics, autobiographies, short stories and classics. She enjoys the vineyards and mountains in her backyard and regularly explores new areas in the Western Cape with the love of her life. She loves to travel and is already planning her next trip, where she will be exploring the variety of food, traditional ingredients and recipes they have to offer.

She is registered with the HPCSA (DT0042412) and is a member of Golden Key, Allergy SA and ADSA.

 

Bianca Oosthuizen

Bianca Oosthuizen

Registered dietitian

Registered dietitian, coffee enthusiast, keen traveller, adventurer

Born and raised in Bloemfontein, Bianca completed her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics at the University of the Free State in 2022. In 2023, she began her community service year at 2 Military Hospital in Wynberg, where she gained extensive experience working with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, as well as managing patients in medical and surgical wards.

After completing her community service, Bianca chose to remain in the Western Cape and joined Imagine Dietitians in March 2024. She has since completed her Honours in Psychology and is currently completing her Master’s degree in Dietetics.

Bianca believes that eating is more than physical nourishment—it’s deeply connected to our relationship with food and our bodies. She is committed to helping her clients build sustainable habits through practical, balanced lifestyle changes. Her areas of interest include eating disorders, disordered eating, lifestyle diseases, oncology, critical care nutrition, and gut health.

Qualifications / Courses:

  • BSc Dietetics Honours (UFS): 2018 – 2022
  • BA Honours in Psychology (UNISA): 2023 – 2024
  • MSc Dietetics in Therapeutic nutrition: in progress
  • Infant feeding course, BFHI (20 hour, Free State Department of Health)

Bianca’s activities when she’s not in the office:

When she’s not working, Bianca enjoys spending time outdoors—whether it’s visiting dog parks, taking her dogs to the beach, or going for a peaceful walk. She loves unwinding with a good book and cherishes the quality time spent with her husband. Bianca loves hosting dinner parties for friends and family. She is also fond of checking out new restaurants and cafes over weekends. 

She is registered with the HPCSA (DT0063924) and is a member of Golden Key.

Megan Tait

Megan Tait

Registered dietitian

Registered dietitian, functional fitness enthusiast, passionate foodie, singer-songwriter, and lifelong learner

Megan completed her BSc Dietetics (Hons) at North-West University and her community service at Brits District Hospital. Megan has experience in both public and private healthcare, including clinical work in the ICU, oncology, medical, and surgical wards. She is currently completing her Master’s degree in Therapeutic Nutrition at Stellenbosch University.

Megan works with a wide range of nutrition-related conditions, including oncology nutrition, gastrointestinal health (IBS and IBD), metabolic health, and post-operative recovery. She also supports individuals experiencing eating disorders and disordered eating, focusing on compassionate, patient-centred care and working closely with the broader healthcare team.

She believes that nutrition care should go beyond meal plans and focuses on helping people understand their bodies, improve their relationship with food, and develop sustainable habits that support long-term wellbeing.

Qualifications/courses:

  • BSc Dietetics Honours (NWU) 2016 – 2021
  • MSc Dietetics in Therapeutic nutrition: in progress
  • Eat Fit IBS Trained Dietitian (Eat Fit South Africa)

Megan’s activities when she’s not in the office:

Megan enjoys functional fitness, exploring new food experiences, and spending time with her husband. She is also a signed singer and songwriter with Universal Music Group and loves balancing her passion for music with her work in healthcare.

 

She is registered with the HPCSA and is an active member of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA).

Resources

  Habit tracking apps and documents can really help you stick to your daily health and wellbeing goals.   Try our habit tracker FREE: HABIT TRACKER Imagine Dietitians Covid-19 Lockdown meal planner: Lockdown meal planning Imagine Dietitians Let us know what...

Kidneys, a Bean-shaped Gem

It is Kidney Awareness week from 1 – 7 September and throughout this week we are going to look at kidneys and its function in our body.

Women Empowerment Morning

Guest Speakers from left to right: Liezl van Rooyen (Clinical Psychologist), Marciel Hopkins (Model and Motivational Speaker), Chantel Walker (Registered Dietitian), Jean-Mari Hellig (Image Consultant) and Maya du Plessis (Registered Dietitian) Working with women...

10 TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY THIS HOLIDAY

Travelling to a new destination is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and try new foods. When on a healthy eating plan this can oftentimes be very daunting, but it can be done! 1. RESEARCH THE DESTINATION Find...

GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD

  One of my highlights over the past few months was Checkers’ “Little Garden” initiative that was introduced to South Africa. WOW, what an amazing initiative – it was so much better than the previous ‘spend R150 and get free’ initiatives. No more useless plastic...

HEALTH FOR EVERYONE

It is world health day and the theme of this year is Health for everyone. Health can be defined as being free from illness or injury. Nutrition plays a big role in the contribution towards health. Yet nutritional needs are different for each individual. Our nutritional needs are based upon our gender, age, weight, height, ethnicity and health status. In South Africa we have general guidelines to lead us towards meeting our nutritional needs and have optimal health. This article will explore the South African Food-based Dietary Guidelines.

Quiche

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Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats

Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats

Overnight oats is my favourite quick breakfast. Some weeks are just so busy that I know I wont have enough time to prepare breakfast. So I usually make bulk overnight oats on Sunday which lasts me until Wednesday. Sometime I get bored of plain cinnamon banana...

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Strawberry Chia Seed Jam

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Jam is a fan favourite in my home, especially strawberry jam. Its such a versatile spread and hits just the right spot to curb that sweet craving! I have it on toast, in yoghurt, on scones and my favourite use of jam is to lather it over a baked camembert, YUM! But I...

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Chia Seed Breakfast Topper

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Makes 1 cup Ingredients 4 tablespoons chia seeds¾ cup milk / coconut milk / full cream yoghurt1 tsp xylitol (optional) Method Mix together and place in fridge for an hourAfter an hour the chia seeds should have absorbed the liquid, leaving you with a delicious chia...

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Blueberry Banana Flapjacks

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This is one of my favourite healthy summer breakfasts. These flapjacks are so easy to make, you just throw everything into the blender and that’s it! Plus they are super nutritious and a great alternative to normal flapjacks. Not only do these make a great breakfast...

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Back to School – Lunchboxes Made Easy

This week is back to school, and this means back to routine for parents. Don’t get caught off guard with lunchbox prepping, providing snacks after school or after sport. Follow our tips to ensure your lunchbox is in tip top shape.  Tip 1: Choose a food from each food...

VITAMINS AND MINERALS NEEDED DURING PREGNANCY

It is important to consume an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals when pregnant.  This ensures benefits for both the mother-to-be as well as for her child. The big question is which vitamins and minerals are important and in which food sources can they be found? ...

CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Childhood obesity is a reality. A South African survey reported that 18.1% of children between the ages of two and five years are overweight - that is almost one in every five! Being overweight or obese at a young age puts children at a greater risk of developing...

ALLERGIES vs. INTOLERANCES

Many of us believe food allergies to be relatively common, largely because of the continued attention it receives on social media networks. Food allergies are in fact quite uncommon. The confusion increases when “food allergy” and “food intolerance” are mistakenly...

FEEDING INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN

WHAT IS COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING? Complementary feeding is the process of gradually introducing other foods and liquids along with breast milk once breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of infants.   INTRODUCING SOLIDS When...

HEALTHY LUNCHBOXES FOR SCHOOL

  Before we focus on the food that goes into the lunch box, we have to make sure we have the correct lunchbox. The best option is a lunchbox with various compartments to ensure the food, flavours and sauces do not mix. If you do not have this you can also use a...

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More Info

We would be delighted to discuss our services and capabilities in more detail with you. We can be reached by completing the form on this page or via email at: info@imaginediet.co.za

Address: Suite 110, Rooms of Dr Abrie Vermeulen, 1 Elsie du Toit Drive, Stellenbosch Mediclinic, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

Phone: 082 563 7669

Business Hours: 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday