FAQs

Faq type

Membership

Do I need a referral from my GP to access NuMi’s services?

No you do not!  While we welcome referrals from our local GPs, anyone can self-refer for any of our services if they feel that NuMi can help them achieve their health goals.

How can I become a member of NuMi?

Just find the membership option that best suits your current health situation and then click the ‘Join Now’ button to proceed through the membership application process. We have membership options for those who want to learn more about improving their nutrition and lifestyle to help them achieve their short and long-term health goals, as well as specialist memberships that will provide more detailed advice on specific health conditions.

Which type of NuMi membership is best for me?

We have a range of memberships to suit many health conditions and individual’s health goals. Take a look at the benefits that each membership type offers, and then choose the one that best suits your personal health situation and goals. If you are still unsure, please give us a call on 01263 800 667.

Why do I need to be a NuMi Friend to access the services?

When you become a NuMi Friend, you become part of a ‘community’. This community is made up of like-minded people who you will meet during the movement classes, many of whom will also be part of the local Holt community – what a way to meet new friends! This community will help you to keep engaged on your health journey so you’ll be much more likely to achieve your health goals. You will also have access to our great co-working space where you can work but also you’re your professional network. Plus you’ll be the first to be invited to our launches and events – you wouldn’t want to miss those, would you?

How long do I need to commit to a NuMi membership for?

Our memberships have a minimum 3 month term as we believe that you need to commit for at least this length of time in order to receive the support that is needed to help you achieve your health goals. You might think that you can see a specialist once and then you’ll know what to do, but how many times do you end up falling into your old ways? Our monthly check-ins with our expert Health Coaches help you to make those simple, sustainable changes that are needed to make a life-long impact on your health and happiness.

How do I pay for my NuMi membership?

You can pay a small deposit and then the balance of your membership will be deducted 48 hours before your first consultation, or you can pay in full for your first month’s membership at the time of joining. Each subsequent month’s membership fee will be deducted from your nominated card or account 1 calendar month after the initial payment.

How can I cancel or change my NuMi membership?

Just contact one of the NuMi team members via email at info@numi.org.uk with your request, and we will make the change for you.

Can I swap out parts of my membership (ie. classes) for other services?

The memberships have been specially designed to provide a wide range of services that we know will complement each other and provide you with a holistic approach to making the changes you might need to help you achieve your health goals. As such, the membership services that are offered with each membership type are not able to be swapped with other services.

What is the difference between NuMi Specialist Member and the NuMi Intensive Program?

The content of the NuMi Intensive Program and the NuMi Specialist Membership are exactly the same, but you will have your Measurement and Nutritional Consultation and attend the Kitchen Workshop over the course of 2-3 days if you join the Intensive Program, instead of it being spaced out over the course of a couple of weeks if you are a NuMi Specialist Member. This provides a great option for those people who want to access NuMi’s services but are not able to travel to Holt, Norfolk multiple times. We offer the opportunity for those on the Intensive Programs to stay at one of our preferred properties at a discounted rate.

What happens first when I join NuMi?

You will receive a link to join up to our client portal, PracticeBetter. We need all of our clients to join this as it’s our main way of communicating with you and booking your sessions. You then have access to book any additional sessions and also receive any messages from your Health Coach, including session notes, meal plans and other important resources to help you on your health journey.

What is PracticeBetter and why do I need to use that?

PracticeBetter is the online software we use to communicate with you about your bookings, we share with you any meal plans and session notes and we also use this to share with you important messages from your Health Coach or other NuMi practitioner.  It is an ‘all in one’ hub to help you easily make your appointments, it keeps all of your important information stored in one place and you can easily access the resources you need to support your health journey.

Services

How do I access NuMi’s services if I don’t live in Norfolk?

We offer an Intensive membership where you can travel to Holt in Norfolk, stay at one of our preferred properties at a discounted rate, and then receive the services of this membership over a 2-3 day period.  These include full body measure, blood test collection and analysis with results provided to you at the time of collection, nutrition consultation and a 2 day symptom specialist kitchen workshop.  Click here to find out more details.

What if I need other services that aren’t provided by NuMi’s experts to support my health?

We have partnered with a range of health professionals within Norfolk who support our members in a wide variety of areas, and your NuMi Health Coach will be able to refer you to one of these professionals if this is required during the term of your membership.

How do I access NuMi’s services when I have become a NuMi member?

You will receive your personalised log in link to our NuMi health portal where you will be able to book the services that are part of your membership at a time that is convenient for you

Nutrition and coaching

Where will my Nutrition and Coaching consultations be held?

The Initial Nutrition Consultation and Measurement sessions, DEXA scans, classes, kitchen workshops and other specialist treatments are always held in our bespoke health hub in Holt, Norfolk.  There is the option for the monthly Nutrition Health Coach check-in sessions to be held via video call if this is more convenient for you.

I have specialist dietary requirements – will the kitchen workshops still be suitable for me?

We can cater for most dietary requirements during the kitchen workshops while still keeping the core content consistent and ensuring that all participants gain the maximum benefit from the time in our kitchen.  Please let us know of any dietary requirements at the time of making your booking.

Will the monthly meal plan cater for my dietary requirements?

The monthly meal plan will provide you with guidance on how to put together a day’s worth of meals – 3 main meals and 2 snacks – which are nutritionally balanced to provide you with the macro and micronutrients required to support your health goals.  The meal plans developed for the specialist memberships are tailored to address the specific needs of those health conditions from a nutritional perspective.  The meals can be swapped out using the function of the app to provide you with other options that may better suit your dietary requirements and that still cater for the nutritional needs of the membership type you are participating in.  We do offer vegetarian alternatives for the monthly meal plans

If I can’t attend my monthly coaching check in during the month, can I carry it over to the following month?

We’ve done a lot of research into how best our members can be supported to make the life-long changes required to achieve a healthier and happier life, and having a check-in with our Health Coaches every month is the best way to do this.  As such, we really encourage you to prioritise the 30 minutes each month to meet with your Health Coach as the session can’t be carried over.

I’m not a great cook, so will my kitchen skills be OK for the kitchen workshops?

Definitely!  Our kitchen workshops have been developed for people who have very little skill in the kitchen as well as more experienced home cooks. The workshops are designed to share nutritional information in an environment that helps you understand the ‘why’ around healthy food choices and the impact they have on your health, we show you ‘what’ to put together with a range of fresh ingredients that provide your body with the nutrients it needs, and then ‘how’ to put them together in a simple and tasty way which you can easily do again when you go home to your own kitchen.  All ingredients and equipment are provided in our fully stocked kitchen.

Where are the NuMi kitchen workshops held?

The Kitchen workshops are held in our fully equipped kitchen within our NuMi Health Hub, 39 Hempstead Road, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6DL.

Measurement

I’m not good with blood tests – do I need to have these?

The blood tests we take are pretty much painless as they only involve a small finger prick to be able to take the samples we need.  And we’ll keep chatting to you the whole way through so hopefully you won’t even notice that we’re doing it!  It is entirely up to you, however, whether you have these blood tests taken, but we encourage you to have the blood tests so we have an objective way to determine your risk of serious illness such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

How often will I have my key body metrics tested?

If you join NuMi as a NuMi Member or NuMi Specialist Member, you will have your full body measurement and blood tests taken every 6 months.  This will allow you the time to make the changes to your nutrition and lifestyle, with the guidance of your Health Coach, and then objectively measure the impact of the changes through these key body metrics.

Which blood tests will I have taken?

We will check your Vitamin D levels, as this is important for the regulation of the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bones, teeth and muscles to ensure that they remain healthy and reduce your risk of Osteoporosis, we check your Blood Lipids, including your total Cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and Triglycerides to assess your risk of Heart Disease, and we also check your HbA1c level which is a measure of your blood sugars over the last 3 months to assess your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.  All results are provided to you at the time of your consultation and we discuss with you how your lifestyle choices might be influencing these.

What other measurements do you take?

We will measure your height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure and from these we will calculate your waist to height ratio, Body Mass Index, Heart Age and Diabetes risk score,  giving us an indicator of your risk of serious diseases such as high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke.

Classes

How do I book into a class, and what do I need to bring?

Just click here and you will be taken to our booking portal where you can select the class type and session time that suits you, for you to then complete your booking.  There is no need for you to bring anything with you except a bottle of water and a small towel, if you feel that you need one.  Yoga blocks and mats are provided for you.

Does my monthly class pass included in my membership need to be used in the month that it is issued?

We know that moving our body regularly is so important for both our physical but also mental wellbeing, and that’s why we have built in a class pass with each membership so you can experience the range of classes we offer in our NuMi Health Hub, in Holt.  Of course, we want you to come to more than just the 1 class as regular movement is definitely what we need!  If you can’t use the pass in the month in which it is valid, it can be moved to the next month, as long as your membership fees have been paid in full for that month.

Where are the NuMi movement classes held?

The NuMi movement classes are held in our beautiful studio, upstairs within our NuMi Health Hub, 39 Hempstead Road, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6DL.

Do I need to be really fit to join the movement classes?

Absolutely not!  Our movement practitioners are highly experienced and are able to cater to all fitness levels and movement abilities.  We only ask that you complete a ‘Physical activity readiness survey’ prior to joining your first class so we are aware of any medical conditions and you have the clearance from your GP for more serious conditions, to ensure that you participate in the classes safely.

How many people are in each class?

Our movement practitioners want to ensure that all participants receive the support they need in our classes, so we limit the number to 12 people per session.

Packages

When is a package more suitable for me compared to a membership?

If you would just like to receive our services on a once-off basis instead of the ongoing support that our memberships provide, then a package may be more suitable for you.

DEXA scan

Is a DEXA scan safe?

Absolutely!  The DEXA scan uses a tiny dose of ionising radiation (X-rays) to measure your body composition.  The amount of radiation exposure during a scan is minimal, and it’s actually less than one day’s normal background radiation that we each receive every day from outer space and the earth’s natural radiation that we are all exposed to as we go about our day-to-day activities in life.  However, to be extra cautious we do not scan pregnant women and children under the age of 18 years of age.

How long does a DEXA scan take?

The total DEXA session is around 30 minutes, but this includes the time we take to get your ready for the scan, ask you some follow up questions, get you into position, conduct the scan and then generate the report.  The actual scan is only around 5-7 minutes in total, so it’s very quick!

What do I wear while being scanned?

We ask that you remove your clothing except for underwear, and we provide you with a gown to wear while the scan is taking place. This is to ensure consistency in scan conditions and outputs for comparison purposes.

Does the DEXA scan measure bone density and give me my risk of Osteoporosis?

Whilst the DEXA scanner is the same for measuring bone density and body composition, they are two very different types of scan. The NuMi body composition report DOES give a good indication of your bone density but this is only an indication and not a definitive, diagnosable result. In other words, it’s not a result a doctor would make any firm decisions on.  Nevertheless, if the indication was unusually high or low then we would advise you to see your GP or a bone specialist for specialist advice.  If you require a dedicated bone scan in relation to low bone density and osteoporosis, you can request these from your GP or get one privately.

What does the DEXA scan tell me about fat distribution?

The scan and the post-scan consultation will show you how your fat is distributed around your body, in your arms, legs and trunk (torso).  Both men and women can have the fat characteristics of either sex, where the fat is held mainly in your upper body (male distribution, apple-shaped) or limbs/lower body (female distribution, pear-shaped).  We can’t do anything about our fat distribution (sadly!) but it’s good to know. Fat in the upper body can lead to high levels of internal visceral fat, which is more harmful for our health as it surrounds the internal organs (such as your heart, lungs and liver) and is associated with obesity-related diseases such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer and stroke.

What does the DEXA scan tell me?
  • In terms of body composition, the report shows the following for each arm, each leg and trunk (and head) and total:
  • Fat mass
  • Lean mass
  • Bone mass (bone mineral content)
  • Total mass (fat + lean + bone)

The scan also gives you these metrics for your whole body:

  • Body fat percentage (BF%, fat mass divided by total body mass)
  • Fat Mass Index (fat mass divided by height-squared)
  • Android/gynoid ratio (BF% in the android (belly region, male fat area) divided by BF% in the gynoid (hip-thigh-buttock region, female fat area)
  • Fat Mass Ratio (% Fat Trunk divided by % Fat Legs)
  • Trunk-to-Limb Fat Mass Ratio (fat mass of the trunk divided by fat mass total of the legs)
  • Visceral Fat (this is an estimate of internal fat in a section of the android region).
  • Lean Mass Index (total soft-tissue lean mass divided by height-squared)
  • Appendicular Lean Mass Index (soft-tissue lean mass on the limbs divided by height-squared)

The scan will also provide an indication of your bone density (BMD), with these data points for each arm, each leg, left-side ribs, right-side ribs, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, pelvis and head. Note you should not track bone density with whole-body scans. The bone density results are just an indication only.

What is the maximum height/weight that you can scan?

Our DEXA scanner has a maximum weight limit of 204 kg (that’s 450 pounds or 32 stone).  If you are very heavy and very large, your whole body will probably not fit within the width of the scanning table. The DEXA software is ready for this and enables us to position you with your left arm outside the scanning area, and then mirrors the data from your right arm to your left. This is standard practice for clients who are physically very big.  Height is not an issue. Although the table has a scanning length of about 198cm (about 6’6″), if you are taller than this we will leave part of your head outside of the scanning area. This is fine because we are interested in the composition of your body, not your head!

Can I have a scan if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

It is absolutely fine to have a scan while breastfeeding, however, it is NOT OK to have a scan while pregnant. We will ask you to confirm your pregnancy status and will not scan you if there is a chance you may be pregnant.

Who is a DEXA scan suitable for?

A DEXA scan is suitable for anyone looking to get in better shape, achieve weight loss or better performance, or just secure your quality of life as you age. By understanding your body composition and working with our Health Coaches, you will have the knowledge and tools to make lifestyle changes that will help you achieve both your short and long term health goals.

How do I prepare for the scan?

To prepare for your DEXA scan, please do not eat (or eat very light) for four hours beforehand and be normally hydrated with water, tea, etc. Don’t over- or under-drink.  Also, do not do any heavy exercise (eg, a gym workout or long run) for the same period.  Please remove as much jewellery as you can before you arrive at NuMi for your scan.

Can I have a scan with a Pacemaker or metal implants?

If you have any implants of any material or a Pacemaker, the scan can go ahead as normal. Metal implants will show up as dense bone on your NuMi DEXA report but they will not affect the fat and lean mass data. There is no risk to the operation of your Pacemaker. There is no risk to the structure of operation of your implant.  The DEXA is a very low dose X-ray, and X-rays either pass through objects or they do not.

How often can I have a DEXA scan?

We recommend about 12-16 weeks (3-4 months) between scans. This is long enough for changes in body composition to have occurred and for you to know that you can stick to your plan but short enough to keep you motivated and give you a short-term target.  We will not scan you more frequently than once in every 6-week period, and not more than 6 times in any year.

Complaints

If you have any complaints please speak to us on

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