HIIT vs. Long Distance

[BNK89]

Well ATM I'm trying to cut and get those abs showing, just started an ECA stack today and was wondering what would be better for this?

After I lifted today my legs were tired from the last two days of cardio and I wasn't feeling a 45 minute run so I decided to do HIIT. Usually I'll do something like an 8 minute mile with 2 minutes walking afterwards. Repeat 5 times, 5 minute CD afterwords.

So for HIIT I would walk 2 minutes at 4 MPH and then max the treadmill at 12 MPH for a minute. Did 8 sets of this.

For the 8 minute mile thing the treadmill usually says I burn around 750 calories or so, but the HIIT said I burned like 350ish. (I know these are just guestimates at calories) I know the HIIT supposedly helps burn more calories afterwards so I thought that it might have some synergy with ECA stack.

On a side note I was wondering if I should up my calories
Stats: Age 18, 178ish pounds, not quite sure what my BF% is but i'de say somewhere around high 13 low 14

Today

12- 9 eggs whites, 2 pieces of flax bread, cooked w/ pam
3 - can of tun, 1 piece of flax bread
5:30- post lift protein shake (50g of protein 220 calories), Cardio after lift/shake
7:30- (ehh not the best, but not horrible) 6" Sub, Whole Wheat Bun/No Cheese Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato, Spicy Mustard, Double Meat
10:30- Can of Tuna, 1 Piece of flax bread
2 AM - Another protein shake
Sleep around 2:30, 3

When I added up everything I didn't have very many calories (off the top of my head 1700ish) and am worried about losing muscle mass rather than the fat

[Phate]

for low intensity long duration cardio i would use a stationary bike or walk at 3.0-4.0mph on a high incline for 30-50minutes

for HIIT training i would use a stairstepper, elliptical or stationary bike and do this
5minutes warm up
1min at 40-50% of max effort
30sec at 85-90% max effort
1min at 40-50% of max effort
30sec at 85-90% max effort
continue that for 15-20 minutes or until you can't go any more
then cool down for 5 minutes

low intensity will burn more calories from fat but will also burn less total calories as the intensity isn't as high as HIIT

HIIT training will burn a lower percentage of calories from fat, though not by much, i think the study i read said 10-12% max, but will burn many more calories total and will increase metabolism for up to 24 hours after cardio, this is called the afterburn effect, where you burn extra calories because of an increase in metabolic output

to give you an estimate i wlll outline one of my cardio routines

low intensity
3.2-3.5mph 8%incline on treadmill for 30minutes burns 350cal

HIIT
using what i outlined above i burn close to 500cal in 20-25minutes plus the extra that i get afterwards