I just got done looking at Fatty Food Hall of Shame This Is Why You're Fat, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry. What is it about humans that make us take our favorite bad-for-you foods -- fatty enough on their own -- and then mix them up with equally awful foods and then deep fry the whole thing? I just don't get it. (Though I'll admit that deep fried brownie looks interesting).

I don't know about you, but when I indulge, I usually have a good idea of what I'm getting into. Either I've read the label, checked the nutritional information, or at least have a good sense of how I'm going to make up for it tomorrow.

But what about indulgences that are nearly impossible for a layman to calculate, like a hamdog or a corn dog pizza? The calories and fat have to be astronomical, yet no information exists. Most of these dishes are made at mom-and-pop type restaurants, by street vendors or at home. Is ignorance an excuse? If you don't know you're downing 3,000 calories and 40 grams of fat, does it still count? The short answer is, yes. Of course.

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Think the Steelers and the Cardinals have a tough day ahead of them? Try being someone who's trying to diet at a Super Bowl party.

Party food is nearly impossible to resist -- it's salty and crunchy and loaded with flavor. Surely it's okay to indulge just for one day, you're probably thinking to yourself. And you might be right. It all depends on you.

While loading up on extra calories for just one day won't wreck your diet, there are a lot of reasons why you might want to reconsider that plan today. You'll feel terrible tomorrow, for one. And after having a taste of all that fatty goodness, it'll be harder to get back on track. Junk food is a slippery slope, and if you aren't sure of your footing, you could find yourself quickly falling back into bad habits.

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Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

No holiday stands for overindulgence and wanton gluttony quite like Thanksgiving does. You might have planned to keep your portions reasonable, or you might have accepted in advance that you'd have to do an extra hour of fitness the next day to compensate for the calorie fest. But plans are one thing -- executing them is another. So I'm wondering ...

There is more in the world than sugary treats. If you're one of those folks who has no interest in indulging in the traditional not-so-good-for-you birthday celebration ... 1-800-FLOWERS has come up with an adorable alternative. They've made beautiful cakes and cocktails out of flowers! The arrangements are beautiful, fun and absolutely guilt free!

Now, I'm not a girl who brings cake into my home or even orders it at a restaurant. I am, however, someone who enjoys a piece on my birthday. If true cake is a special component of your big day, than by all means ... have some! But if it's not, I think these cakes made of flowers make a wonderful celebratory substitute.

The other thing that struck me is that they'd make an incredibly thoughtful gift as well. We've all had the standard bouquet brought to our door, but these little masterpieces are the kind of flowers that would make me squeal! As a fitness trainer, I hold myself to a very high standard. I want to be a role model and I'd never want to contribute in an unhealthy way to a friend. I personally could never just grab a basket of chocolate and give it to someone I love. How contrary that would be!

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Heroes star Ali Larter likes to eat. Dumplings, scallops with ravioli, a burger, fries, ketchup, and mayo are some of her likely indulgences. Just as quick as she scarfs down her favorite foods, though, she gets off her butt and starts working out.

It's part of the business, says Larter, of the need to look a certain way. And having been embarrassed in the past about her not-so-fit self, she's passionate about staying in shape -- for one photo shoot, she had to duct-tape her thighs because they were a little too round.

"What I do for a living puts me in the spotlight," she says. "They pay me for it."

For more on Larter and her heroic life, pick up the July issue of Allure magazine.

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We already know some of Madonna's fitness secrets, such as working out for two hours a day and doing an incredible number of repetitions with very small weights. And, whether you find her sexy or not, you have to admit that Madonna looks like she's in simply amazing shape.

And, of course, Madge follows the macrobiotic diet, and she tells Elle UK, "There are no shortcuts to being Madonna. It's all about hard work. There is no easy way. If you want to know how I look like I do, it's diet and exercise and constantly being careful."

However, even Madonna has to splurge once in a while, right? At any rate, she says she does, and that when she indulges (though you've got to believe it's not often), her very favorite is a Cadbury Creme Egg, saying, "I bite straight into it and suck all that good stuff right out!" Good to know she has a weakness too. But don't tell her I said that -- she'd probably kick my butt.

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I don't buy snacks from check-out lines. That's only because I haven't been eating candy and chips and drinking soda for the past year. Otherwise, I'd surely be reaching for those perfectly-placed diet spoilers. I'd likely be gaining weight too.

Women eat 14,300 calories a year thanks to impulse buys at check-out counters, according to IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm providing market analysis and business consulting services for retailers. All those impulses equal about four pounds per year for the female persuasion. For men, indulging in line translates to roughly three pounds. Although women have an overall higher average of impulse buying, men under 25 are the biggest consumers of caloric items. This group actually consumes enough to gain eight pounds per year.

If you an impulse indulger and just can't seem to help yourself, opt for self-checkout systems when available. IHL's study showed that impulse purchases drop dramatically at these stations. Why? Because self-checkout lanes are not as heavily merchandised as staffed lanes. There are usually shorter lines too which minimizes the opportunity for a captive and tempted audience.

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What's the big deal about a facial? I used to ask this question of my facial-fanatic friends until I had one myself. I imagine that anyone who has ever gone for a professional facial would agree that they're pretty great. Other than the extractions, pretty much everything about this ultimate pampering experience is fantastic.

Some facials are definitely better than others -- one in particular that sticks out for me included lower leg and foot, full arm, shoulder, neck and head massages during the normally fairly boring bit where they leave you to relax while the face mask sets -- but extra massage or no, pretty much any facial will be a worthwhile experience.

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Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

I'm willing to bet that all of us will indulge in something this holiday season, even if it's as small as biting the end off a mini candy cane. Typically, the holidays are all about indulgence -- a time when we splurge on gifts, sleep in, allow ourselves to give the gym and miss and eat more than we should. And though I should be preaching moderation and healthy habits, I'll be honest and say that I don't see anything wrong with indulging a bit. After all, it's only once a year, right?

So I'm wondering what everyone is allowing themselves to indulge in this year -- for me, it's egg nog and ginger snap cookies. I'll also be using the time to catch up on sleep -- workout be darned. What about you?

I just can't do it. I can't eat chocolate. If I do, the floodgates will open, and I won't be able to stop. My husband, who is accompanying me on my latest health kick, is able to have just one bite and be happy. In fact, his doctor just recently congratulated him on his recent weight loss and then told him as he headed out the door, "Don't forget to eat some chocolate now and then." He was thrilled.

What, an invitation to eat chocolate? Yes, indeed. And this doctor isn't the only one touting the merits of chocolate. Now we're talking mostly dark chocolate here -- it happens to be my hubby's favorite -- and the talk goes something like this: Eating a small, 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you.

Clinical trials have shown dark chocolate and its healthy flavonoids improve blood vessel functioning. Better blood flow is good for your heart. Thus, chocolate is good for you. And guess what? Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other food, including green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries. It's plant-derived after all, just like fruits and veggies. Here's the catch, though -- while more is better with fruits and vegetables, only a small amount of chocolate is healthy. Which is why I can't indulge. A 1.6-ounce bar just wouldn't be enough.

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Nachos. Jenny McCarthy's secret diet splurge is none other than nachos -- she even calls them her "once a month nachos" because that's about how often she has them. Obviously Jenny works hard at her figure, but she's still pretty down to earth and has a lot of the same "vices" many women do. In this article she confesses to not only using her home gym equipment for hanging and drying clothes, but also to the indulgence of enjoying room service at hotels and often ordering eggs benedict in the morning.

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Let's face it -- we all wish we had the life of a celebrity. Living in posh Malibu mansions, shopping without a thought of the credit card bill that will inevitably come, visiting the spa on a weekly basis, getting our hair done at the poshest salons, receiving fabulous gifts from, well, everyone. Wouldn't it be divine?

You can still live a celebrity-esque life, even if you're not pulling in $40M per film. Take care of your hair, your skin and home and you'll feel like a star every day. For tips on indulging like a celebrity, check out this article from eDiets. And here's a tip: When mimicking a celebrity, go with a role model like Catherine Zeta-Jones, not Britney Spears. Yikes!

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Not that many (or any) of us can realistically afford to spend thousands on a gym membership each year, but it's fun to see just what you would get if you could.

From the latest trends like free-motion equipment to unlimited access to golf lessons and personal training sessions, it probably wouldn't be hard to find ways to spend more time working out in these luxury gyms. But no matter how rich I was it wouldn't be so easy to pay upwards of $20,000 for an enrollment fee, followed by hundreds of dollars each month for membership. Even though I think a nicer atmosphere can make it easier to get going, the bottom line that exercising can be really cheap and all the extras are just frosting on the cake.

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I've been using the idea of the "cheat day" for a long time now because I just don't have the willpower to stick to a diet for very long before I need take a break. I finally just accepted cheating as a necessary means to an end: if I can't cheat now and then I'm not able to stick to a diet. And I need to diet. Simple as that.

But it seems that my weakness isn't so bad after all. I came across an article that says cheat days are to your diet what vacation time is for your job. "It's the down time that allows you to recover and return to your work with a clearer sense of purpose." So if you consider that your diet is "work," (and I think most people would agree with that!) then you need "vacation time," or the occasional ice cream binge, to stay focused and clear on your weight-loss objectives. You need the break to continue on effectively. Makes total sense to me!

The trick is to only take "cheat days" occasionally, and not all the time. Again, consider vacation time from your job. Obviously, a weekly "Doritos Days" or "Sundae Sunday" is going to wreak havoc on your waistline instead of help it!

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When dieting -- or simply deciding to cut back a bit on some of your guiltier indulgences -- there are always foods that are hard to give up. If you have a sweet tooth, these foods might include cookies and ice cream. If you favor salty items, potato chips or bacon might cause a danger zone. From donuts to egg rolls, there are foods that should be limited to "once in a while" or "occasional" ingestion. But how often is that?

The answer is: it depends.

For something that is small and you are likely to eat frequently, it might mean a few times a week, like going from a few cookies a day to one every other day. When your weakness is fried tortilla chips or chocolate cake, your "once in a while" could be once or twice a month. If you can't stop yourself from eating those unhealthy foods once you start (a half-dozen of those donuts for breakfast?), "once in a while" might have to mean once or twice a year until you can overcome that urge.

It all boils down to being able to eat a small or reasonable amount of your favorite foods -- no matter what they are -- without having to give them or your diet up completely. And after a while, that "once in a while" will no longer be a wait; it will just be.

How long is your "once in a while?"