Need overview of Alternative eating times/amounts

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Couldn't think of a title for this one. I need an overview to just get me

started. Not even sure if this is off-topic or not.

What are thoughts on changing eating patterns from the 3-meals + 2 snacks

per day kind of standard American way to one of two other meal plans:

A) one eating session per day, e.g. 1-4 p.m. (my father in law is losing

weight this way)

eating differently from day to day, say more food on Monday and small

amount of food on Tuesday, the idea being your metabolism doesn't get slow

and lazy because it doesn't know what's coming next. How much of a

difference in calories from one day to the next would be effective but still

healthy and doable for most people (i.e. not starvation every other day)

Are those better for weight loss but not as good for maintenance?