Unlock Your Onboard Health Potential
Refine your long- and short-term health goals
Build a structured, science-backed roadmap for life onboard
Tackle specific challenges of your current life onboard
Receive personalised guidance from our specialist Yacht Crew Dietitians
Meet Our Expert Yacht Crew Dietitians
Tessa Pillay
RDSA (BSc Dietetics) , CPT (NASM)
Before joining the yachting world in 2023, I worked as a practicing dietitian and personal trainer, driven by both professional expertise and personal experience. Having overcome a severe binge eating disorder, I’m deeply passionate about helping others heal their relationship with food through sustainable nutrition, emotional resilience, and mindset work. Since entering yachting, I’ve worked as a deckhand, stewardess, and even had a short stint as a chef. I started Navigating Balance after noticing how the industry often fuels poor body image and disordered eating habits. Now fully recovered, my mission is to support other yacht crew in creating lasting health habits and thriving both mentally and physically at sea. On a day off you’ll find me in the ocean, on the beach or at a good restaurant.
.png)
Isabella Panzenbock
RDSA (BSc Dietetics)
Registered Dietitian based in Cape Town and former yachtie. After completing my community service year, I took a break from clinical work to explore the world of yachting - an experience that challenged and changed me in the best ways. Now back on land, I’m a practicing Dietitian with a strong focus on preventative health, behavioural strategies related to food and rehabilitation within the clinical setting. I’m passionate about holistic wellness, mindful living and helping people build sustainable, nourishing habits. I am also a firm believer in good coffee, slow mornings and long walks on the prom.
What Yachties are saying about Navigating Balance
Discover how our Registered Dietitians are helping yacht crew make sustainable progress while working onboard.
“I’ve struggled with my eating habits and self-esteem for a long time. Tessa helped me turn things around. Her guidance was not just about food but about understanding myself and building healthier habits that work for me. She provided practical advice, unwavering support, and encouragement every step of the way. Thanks to her, I’ve learned how to take care of myself better and feel more confident in my journey toward a healthier lifestyle. I couldn’t recommend her enough!”
Superyacht Chef
"Thank you so much for supporting me through this journey. I have learnt so much and I have always struggled with my emotional eating and with weight loss in general and you have help me so much. You have made me feel supported and strong even when I’m at my lowest. I am so grateful for you and what you are doing for me and many others. I always look forward to our calls, I have felt safe to tell you the truth and not worried about how you would react when I didn’t flow the plan perfectly. I can’t tell you how much I had to deal with that with other coaches. Navigating balance is a 10/10 for me. Can’t wait to see where we go through small habit changes and bringing more awareness to my activity."
Superyacht Chef
"I’ve always struggled with low iron levels, even before becoming vegetarian, and things only got more challenging after the dietary change. On top of that, I’ve experienced occasional binge eating episodes, especially during stressful times. Working on a yacht has made things even more complicated—with easy access to unhealthy snacks and limited options for cooking nutritious meals when there’s no chef on board. What stood out to me most about working with Tess is that she didn’t just jump to the typical “you need to eat meat” response that I’ve heard so many times before. Instead, she took the time to really understand my lifestyle and dietary choices, and provided clear, science-based explanations of what my body needs and why. I left our sessions feeling more informed and empowered, not judged. Tess provided personalized meal plans and helped me set protein and nutrition goals that are actually achievable given my circumstances. But what made the biggest impact was the way she helped me unpack the emotional side of my eating habits. She offered insight into the triggers behind my binge eating and practical strategies to shift my perspective around food. Thanks to her, I’m developing a much healthier and more sustainable relationship with eating. I couldn’t recommend Tess more highly—she is knowledgeable, supportive, and incredibly understanding."
Yacht Stewardess
“I’ve struggled with my eating habits and self-esteem for a long time. Tessa helped me turn things around. Her guidance was not just about food but about understanding myself and building healthier habits that work for me. She provided practical advice, unwavering support, and encouragement every step of the way. Thanks to her, I’ve learned how to take care of myself better and feel more confident in my journey toward a healthier lifestyle. I couldn’t recommend her enough!”
Superyacht Chef
"I’ve always struggled with low iron levels, even before becoming vegetarian, and things only got more challenging after the dietary change. On top of that, I’ve experienced occasional binge eating episodes, especially during stressful times. Working on a yacht has made things even more complicated—with easy access to unhealthy snacks and limited options for cooking nutritious meals when there’s no chef on board. What stood out to me most about working with Tess is that she didn’t just jump to the typical “you need to eat meat” response that I’ve heard so many times before. Instead, she took the time to really understand my lifestyle and dietary choices, and provided clear, science-based explanations of what my body needs and why. I left our sessions feeling more informed and empowered, not judged. Tess provided personalized meal plans and helped me set protein and nutrition goals that are actually achievable given my circumstances. But what made the biggest impact was the way she helped me unpack the emotional side of my eating habits. She offered insight into the triggers behind my binge eating and practical strategies to shift my perspective around food. Thanks to her, I’m developing a much healthier and more sustainable relationship with eating. I couldn’t recommend Tess more highly—she is knowledgeable, supportive, and incredibly understanding."
Yacht Stewardess
"Thank you so much for supporting me through this journey. I have learnt so much and I have always struggled with my emotional eating and with weight loss in general and you have help me so much. You have made me feel supported and strong even when I’m at my lowest. I am so grateful for you and what you are doing for me and many others. I always look forward to our calls, I have felt safe to tell you the truth and not worried about how you would react when I didn’t flow the plan perfectly. I can’t tell you how much I had to deal with that with other coaches. Navigating balance is a 10/10 for me. Can’t wait to see where we go through small habit changes and bringing more awareness to my activity."
Superyacht Chef
Ready to Elevate Your Onboard Health?
Turn your knowledge into action with a specialised strategy session!
$80.00