It’s no secret many of us women like to eat when we’re depressed. Whether it be ice cream, cookies, chocolate or potato chips, there’s just something about eating that, at least for a few minutes, makes us feel better. Then we later berate ourselves for it and do a double-take when we step on the scale.

Women aren’t the only ones that soothe themselves with calories. Men do, too. And in times like these, when the economy is in the toilet (although we think it’s getting better), people are still getting laid off and home foreclosures continue to ruin lives, stress levels run high — and so do the scales. Marie Claire notes that almost half of Americans reported eating unhealthy foods or overeating in order to manage stress in 2008. A recent CareerBuilder survey found that one in ten U.S. workers report increased snacking during the day due to concerns over the current economic situation. Plus, it doesn’t help that fattier, less healthy foods are often cheaper. Self magazine talked to four financially stressed women who learned to curb their eating binges in these tough financial times. Click here to read how these four women dealt with their ballooning weight — and it’s not by reaching for the chips and soda!

Here are a few tips you can follow to make sure your belt doesn’t get any tighter, even if your budget does.

1.) Make healthy food choices. Skip the chips and dip and buy items like celery instead (pre-cut veggies are much cheaper). It may take some exploring of the grocery store aisles, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money on healthy options, you just need to be smart about it. You can also substitute healthier ingredients in your meals for fattier ones, i.e., skip the vegetable oil if you can and steer clear of any cream sauces. 

2.) If you’re wound too tight after a stressful day or week at work, don’t work your blender into a frenzy making high-calorie margaritas. Take a walk outside and get some fresh air. Or hit the gym and sweat out the stress. We promise, your body and your mind will thank you for it later!

3.) If you get together with your girlfriends to discuss each others’ economic malaise, do it at the park and not at a bar or restaurant. Eating out is a huge source of calories for most women, yet it’s such a common activity. And if you add drinks to your tab, forget it! Instead, put on your sneakers and do a group walk in your local park. Or plan a day at the beach with a cooler full of sandwiches and veggies (bringing your own food is always cheaper than buying fattier options, wherever you go). Not only will you burn calories — you also won’t burn a hole through your wallet at a pricey restaurant.

Here’s a recent news report on how lean economic times don’t mean lean waistlines: