Fasting for a reason?

The day dawned, and I thought that let me try "observing a fast" for one day. In my entire life, I have never fasted for anything or anyone. I remember the times in college when couple of my friends used to observe a "solah somvaar" (A fast for 16 mondays). I used to find it wierd and for that matter, I still do, that what was the purpose behind observing a vrat for 16 mondays. Thats when, I was told that it was done in order to get a good husband!! I know it is a matter of personal choice and belief, but somehow I have never been able to establish a link between "not eating" and "finding a good husband" & that too for 16 mondays!! Wonder when women follow this "Karva chauth" to get the same husband for 7 lives!!! Just a thought, wouldn't it be boring to have the SAME man in your life for a period of 7 lives:) OK! I digress, but I would NEVER fast for any guy. Men never do any thing of this sort to get a good wife? Does that mean, they dont want a GOOD WIFE? Without sounding a feminist (which, beleive me am not:), I just think that finding a good life partner and fasting are two mutually exclusive events and to me they don't have any connection. During that time, I also found people who ate only specific foods, and potatoes were totally allowed during fasting..Please!! if you want to do something, do not manipulate rituals. As far as my knowledge goes, I think fasting is done to provide that much needed rest to the gastric muscles which work all the time. Well, I had no motive of doing this "food free day" but I just wanted to experience how it felt if you dont eat the entire day. Well, needless to say, my stomach is churning. There have been many days when I have not eaten the entire day, only coz I did not feel like it or was plain busy. Today, is the specific day when I FEEL like eating. Why do we want to do certain things, when we should not be? I guess thats when something called as "self restrain" comes to existence. Hehe