A food scale would be best since, as you can tell, you can measure the same amount very differently depending if you pack things or if you don't.

My husband also does low carb off and on and for him the first few days are hard because you can be hungry. Usually it subsides in a few days once your body is really into ketosis and your body is hungry less often since you're eating more fat helping keep you full longer.

I go off the carbs in MFP or I scan in the nutrition myself using the MFP app. I don't own the book and I've honestly never read it.