fit into my skinniest jeans

I am still swollen from my back surgery, and the swelling at the site of each incision-one in front, one in back-has caused no change, despite diet and exercise, in the south-of-belly-button area that most needs to shrink in order for my skinniest jeans to accommodate me. Curses!

This is actually an objective measure for the goal I really wanted to add: get back into shape. I don’t know my blood pressure, pulse, weight, arm circumference, or any other number that I can use to tell me when I’m in shape again. But when I can fit into my skinniest jeans, it presumably will be because I’ve been exercising again.