Re. testing. I was told not to because it would make me obsessive...well, obsessive was what was needed to change a lifetime of bad advice and so called healthy eating. I made a chart on my laptop and filled in the 4 x a day results with notes about diet & exercise or stress etc. It really helped to determine patterns and what worked for me. (eg 1 hr of swimming resulted in no difference to BS unless I followed it up with 15 minute on the treadmill.) After a while I settled down to once a week summary and only tested if I was trying something new or different. Now at 1 year in to the LCHF IF etc lifestyle, I rarely test and the way of eating is 2nd nature. But information is key to making a successful change.
A couple of tips: Salads can get boring so buy lots of interesting & different ingredients, salad toppings & LC dressings, keep a bag of pre-made salad on hand in case you are tempted to skip your veggies because you can't be bothered with all that chopping & peeling. Vegetable stir fries are a staple- I have increased my spice drawer selection tremendously... variety is important. I always have great cheese, pepperoni sticks, and a dozen boiled eggs in the fridge (the fresh from the farm free range bright yellow yolk ones are for omelettes or frittatas, the cheaper ones in the grocery store peel way easier) Almond butter has lower carbs than peanut butter and tastes great on celery or smeared on a square of 90% dark chocolate. Watch out for "faux" food ie keto bread/bagels/crackers it is way too easy to over do it and over indulge. and...alcohol is the gateway drug to carbs!