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 (US) 2010 – 2013
  • Infant Feeding course, BFHI (20 hour, Western Cape, Department of Health)
  • CDE – 5 day Advanced course in Diabetes Care (CDE, Johannesburg)
  • Bariatric Accredited Dietitian (CEMMSSA)
  • Optifast accredited Dietitian (CDE and Nestle)
  • Mind the Food Space (Disordered Eating Course), Module 1 – 6
  • Role of Nutrition in Optimal Growth and Immunity (Post Graduate Programme in Pediatric Nutrition, through Boston University)
  • ED’s for RDs (Canadian Eating Disorder course, presented by Shawna Melbourne)
  • The Mindful Dietitian (Australian Eating Disorder course presented by Fiona Sutherland – currently enrolled)

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.

 

Maya du Plessis

Maya du Plessis

Registered dietitian

Registered dietitian, nature lover, world traveler, absolute foodie

After graduating from Stellenbosch in 2017 with a degree in dietetics, Maya went on to do her community service year at Kimberley Hospital in the Northern Cape. There she gained considerable experience by working in the various intensive care units, neonatal unit, the pediatric wards and various medical and surgical wards. After completion of her community service year she headed back to Stellenbosch and joined Imagine Dietitians in 2019. Maya is also busy with her Master’s degree in Therapeutic Nutrition at Stellenbosch University.

Maya is a firm believer that lifestyle changes can start at any age and loves being part of her patients’ journeys to optimal health. As an avid foodie she is passionate about promoting healthy cooking without compromising on taste and appearance.

Her areas of interest include pediatric nutrition, allergies and intolerances, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, nutrition in pregnancy and lactation, sports nutrition, critical care nutrition, nutrition in kidney failure and gastro-intestinal disorders.

Qualifications / Courses:

  • BSc Dietetics Honours (US): 2014-2017
  • Masters in therapeutic nutrition: in progress
  • Infant feeding course, BFHI (Northern Cape Department of Health)
  • Role of Nutrition in Optimal Growth and Immunity (Post Graduate Programme in Pediatric Nutrition, through Boston University)

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

Maya loves cooking food and regularly hosts dinner parties for friends and family. She is also fond of checking out new restaurants and cafes over weekends. Maya enjoys nature and hiking in the beautiful mountains in the Western Cape and often goes camping with friends. Maya’s parents live overseas so during her holidays she normally travels to new countries and explores the nature, meets new people and always does a cooking class or two. 

Tessa Fyfe

Tessa Fyfe

Registered dietitian

Registered dietitian, foodie, nature lover and coffee enthusiast

Originally from Cape Town, Tessa graduated from Stellenbosch University in 2021 with a BSc in Dietetics. She then went on to complete her community service year at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley, Northern Cape, where she gained extensive clinical experience working in intensive care, surgery, paediatrics and medical wards to name a few. Tessa will be moving to Stellenbosch in 2023, joining Imagine Dietitians as an Eating Disorder Dietitian and she hopes to pursue her dreams of researching and working within this field for many years to come.

Tessa is devoted to individualised and personalised care for her clients. She is a firm believer in sustainable lifestyle changes and intuitive eating practises to generate healthy relationships with ourselves and food that last a lifetime. Tessa’s areas of interest include eating disorders, emotional eating and disordered eating, critical care, oncology and paediatrics.

Qualifications/courses:

  • BSc Dietetics Honours (US) 2018 – 2021
  • Higher Certificate in Exercise Science (HFPA) 2018 – 2020
  • DNAlysis Accredited Practitioner (DNAlysis) 2022
  • The Foundations of Eating Disorders (InsideOut) 2022

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

Tessa is an absolute coffee lover and will most likely be found at a local coffee shop in her spare time. She loves cooking – she can spend ages researching recipes or thinking up her own and will jump at any opportunity to cook a meal, have a glass of wine and a laugh with family and friends. Tessa also enjoys being creative, active and the outdoors with a relatively newfound interest and passion for running.

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.

MARINATED CHICKEN WITH HERBS

MARINATED CHICKEN WITH HERBS

        Yields 4 portions INGREDIENTS: 4 chicken fillets, deboned 45ml fresh lemon juice 15ml olive oil 30ml sherry, muscadel or port 60ml fresh basil, chopped OR 5ml dry basil 15ml fresh origanum OR 2.5ml dry origanum 5ml fresh thyme OR a pinch of...

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CAJUN TURKEY SALAD

CAJUN TURKEY SALAD

    This is an easy to make, fresh summer salad that includes a variety of different foods that covers all food groups.  Sounds fantastic right? Ingredients (Serves 6) Cajun Salad Dressing 200ml ,Plain Yoghurt. 100ml, Mayonnaise. 3-5ml, (or to taste)Cajun...

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ROCKET AND PARMESAN SALAD

ROCKET AND PARMESAN SALAD

  This is a delicious and fresh salad that is easy to make and it looks beautiful plated. You only need a few basic ingredients. Bonus - the lemon juice keeps the avocado nice and fresh - no more brown avo in leftover salad!   Ingredients: 3 - 4 cups Rocket,...

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CHICKPEA FALAFEL

CHICKPEA FALAFEL

x Serves 4 - 6 X  Ingredients 1 tin Chickpeas, drained 0.5 tsp. Coriander 1.5 tsp. Cumin 2 cloves Garlic, chopped 2 tbsp. Coriander, fresh, chopped 1/4 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped 1 Carrot, medium, grated 1 Egg 2 - 4 tbsp. Flour  X Method: Place chickpeas, spices and...

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DATE AND COCONUT BALLS

DATE AND COCONUT BALLS

We are all familiar with the typical date snack - made with butter, sugar and biscuits. They may be delicious but they aren't great for your waistline.That is why we decided to come up with an alternative date-based snack, high in fibre and healthy fats. They also...

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SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN CURRY

SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients 2 large chicken breasts, sliced 1 onion, sliced 250g mushrooms, sliced 3 garlic cloves 1 t fresh ginger 1 t chilli powder or 1 fresh chilli 1 t paprika 1 t curry powder 1 t turmeric 1 T olive oil 1 tin coconut milk (lite) 2 T peanut butter ½ cup low fat...

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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, M-F