# What's the One Simple Rule (Obey)?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 10, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044 "2009-11-10T14:56:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/1 "2009-11-10T14:56:07Z")
An astounding number of banner ads on this site and many others tell me I can LOSE MY BELLY or LOSE 40+ POUNDS or YOUR CITY MOM LOST 47 POUNDS by “Following One Simple Rule (Obey.)”
I dare not click on these ads, but I’m curious… what IS the ONE SIMPLE RULE I should (Obey)? Has anyone clicked these?
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/2 "2009-11-10T15:02:39Z")
Don’t eat?
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### Author:  [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/3 "2009-11-10T15:06:34Z")
The “Obey” is a subliminal message. The fact that you’re seeing it is due either to a programming error or your new contact lenses/glasses. The other rule is “Marry and Reproduce.”
It’s complicated.
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### Author:  [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/4 "2009-11-10T15:30:20Z")
I don’t know what the one simple rule says… but it should say ‘consume less calories than you burn’, or ‘burn more calories than you consume’. If you do, over time you will lose weight.
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### Author:  [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/5 "2009-11-10T15:35:24Z")
its “take these pills”
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### Author:  [@Vorpal\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vorpal_Blade)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/6 "2009-11-10T15:48:03Z")
> [@otternell](#):
>
> its “take these pills”
Shit more than you eat.
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### Author:  [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/7 "2009-11-10T16:04:48Z")
that’s what the pills make you do!
Seriously: its two pills: 1 is acai based, and 1 is “bromalite” (or something), the acai is supposed to up the metabolism and down the hunger, and the bromalite is supposed to clear out all of the excess matter in your bowels.
Source: friend ordered, got caught in a cycle of reordering. She had to call the CC company to get it to stop.
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### Author:  [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/8 "2009-11-10T18:07:48Z")
If I recall the one rule to losing weight -
Eat Less and Exercise.
I learned that from Mr. B. Breathed as Opus tried any and every diet pill/fad.
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### Author:  [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/9 "2009-11-10T18:15:56Z")
It is the acai berry and colon cleanse (as seen on Oprah!!! or many other variations). I clicked on one of the ads to see what it was about, they’re trying to sell you stuff. I have to wonder if this is one of the Make Money on the Internet from the Convenience of Your Own Home!!! scams that you see around too.
If you really want to lose belly fat:
Move more. Eat less.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/10 "2009-11-10T21:14:18Z")
I know how you actually lose weight, guys, I just wanted to know what the ads were selling. Questioned answered; acai berries and poop pills.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/11 "2009-11-10T22:17:50Z")
And when the ads say “No pills required!”, they’re presumably just blowing smoke.
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/12 "2009-11-10T22:31:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> And when the ads say “No pills required!”, they’re presumably just blowing smoke.
I wonder, does their website call them tablets or capsules instead?
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/13 "2009-11-10T22:44:47Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#):
>
> The “Obey” is a subliminal message. The fact that you’re seeing it is due either to a programming error or your new contact lenses/glasses. The other rule is “Marry and Reproduce.”
>
> It’s complicated.
[George](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Live), is that you?
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### Author:  [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/14 "2009-11-11T05:39:23Z")
> [@rickjay](#):
>
> what is the one simple rule i should (obey)? Has anyone clicked these?
**Send us money!**
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2009, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/15 "2009-11-13T07:55:26Z")
I’ve heard there’s a rule that small numbers like “one” should be written out, but I’m pretty sure that isn’t it.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2009, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/16 "2009-11-13T07:57:52Z")
The one rule of losing weight is… you do not TALK about losing weight.
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### Author:  [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/17 "2009-11-13T20:55:10Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#):
>
> I don’t know what the one simple rule says… but it should say ‘consume less calories than you burn’
Well, it should say “consume _fewer_ calories.”
😛
–Cliffy
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### Author:  [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/18 "2009-11-13T21:50:10Z")
> [@qazwart](#):
>
> **Send us money!**
That works too, if you send enough where you can no longer afford to buy food.
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### Author:  [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)
#### Post date: [November 13, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-one-simple-rule-obey/517044/19 "2009-11-13T22:43:33Z")
Thanks, I’ve been wondering about that for ages.