Guilt is simply not viewed as a good thing. Yet, in some instances, as a behavioral compass, it serves us well. On those occasions, our actions, or the complete lack thereof, result in feelings of remorse or regret. Psychobabble 101 would have us believe that we should not feel guilty, that it's a wasteful emotion.
Some behaviors deserve guilty feelings.
It's called having a conscience. It's a matter of recognizing inappropriate or unwise behavior and regretting it. What steps we take once we correctly identify what's really important is where we should focus our attention. Take fitness, for instance. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone told me reading my column made them feel guilty.