Hello nittany!
I do NOT think that "your lot in life is to be fat and there's nothing you can do about it". And if all those 8lbs you lost were only water, then you would have regained them by now, surely.

Yes, fitday.com is excellent! I'm plugged in to it day and night (work from home), add my own food and supplements into it etc. A real great companion in this battle. Can't believe its free. Also, read everything you can about sugar alcohols and hidden carbs and be sure to check and count so that you don't get any extra of those in by mistake. It's easily done. Skip processed food, make everything yourself from scratch. That way you're in total control of what you put into your body. Great articles here:
http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips.html

Also, although you're not "stalling" in the true LC meaning of the word, still a search on "stall" and "stalling" might dig up some useful ideas and tips of basic things you could do/look out for. If nothing else, it gives you the comforting feeling of not being alone with the frustration.

Just hang in there! Rome wasn't built in a day. This is a WOL/WOE, not a quick fix. Oh, and don't forget to read the success stories too. Very encouraging when everything feels lousy.

Oh, one more thing. It might be a good idea to start your own journal here. That way it's easier for some of the LC "experts" (I'm certainly not one of them... ) to help you, seeing what your diet looks like over time.

/gilibel