Lent has its origins in pagan religion. Notwithstanding, there are other observances like Ramadan that also seeks to subsume what practices came before... (The early Church having seen that couldn't eliminate some level of fasting decided that if you can't beat them then join them...)

The forgoing of luxury - usually food - as in Shrove Tuesday when all the nice stuff was eaten up to inaugurate a period of "going without"...

My point is this: winter going into spring is the natural time for eating less. In very recent years I've taken to narrowing my eating window in order to lose a little flab.

Mythology is a useful medium for passing on useful information to those who come after and live a faith based life — most people — rather than a life based on knowledge.