Weight loss plateau despite workouts and calorie deficit. Need advice :)

I started working out in December after about 5 years of being inactive. Over the last 4–5 years, I gained a significant amount of weight due to stress, working during COVID, and exam pressure.

I’m a 29-year-old female, 5’5”, with a pear-shaped body.

I started at 89 kg and I’m currently at 81.5 kg. I did take a break for about 20 days in March, but otherwise I’ve been consistent.

Right now, I’m on a sabbatical preparing for exams, so I’m mostly at home and fairly sedentary outside of workouts.

Current workout routine (with a trainer):

•	Monday: Chest + arms

•	Tuesday: Abs + 30 min cardio (treadmill/cycling)

•	Wednesday: HIIT + 30 min cardio

•	Thursday: Obliques + cardio

•	Friday: 1 hour cardio

•	Saturday: Legs

My 30 minutes of cardio usually includes around 2–3 km of walking/jogging and around 2k steps overall extra around my home.

Diet:

•	Around 1500 kcal/day

•	Vegetarian

Concerns:

•	My weight has been stagnant at 82–81.5 kg since February

•	Rest of my day is quite sedentary

•	I’m considering adding \~5,000 steps daily

•	I’m also very interested in running, but currently I can barely run 0.5 km continuously

What I’m looking for:

•	Honest advice on breaking this plateau

•	Whether I should increase steps or adjust workouts/diet

•	Tips to improve my running endurance