I started a low-gluten/gluten free diet when I got serious about my fitness.
I feel lighter after meals and more able to exercise. Plus my muscle/fat ratio is continually improving. Many people are intolerant to some extent without realising it and many digestive issues can be solved by butting gluten out of the diet.
Plus, while a gluten-restrictive diet is not necessarily calorie restricted, the fact that more of your calories come from protein and the fact many snacks are off-limits often translates to a lower-calorie diet, which has obvious benefits for weight loss.
I wouldn't personally recommend atkins as a diet plan. I understand using it to lose weight in the short term but I think the macro-nutrient profile of the diet is less than beneficial in the long term. As an alternative I would recommend looking at the Paleo or Primal diet. It's based around fruits, lean meats, root vegetables and so forth. I've been doing that but including dairy products and have seen great results.
Stuff that contains gluten includes bread, pasta, rice and most empty/bulk carbs. After a while, you'll get used to checking food labels to see if stuff is gluten free.
New Healthy Diet