Ditch your old '10,000 steps treadmill marathon' for something more manageable and, as per recent studies, equally effective - a '7,000 steps a day'. An intriguing review study shakes up the fitness world by concluding that plodding away 7,000 steps daily can significantly slash the risk of premature death and combat monsters like heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and depression.

The obsession with 10,000 steps is a result of a quirky marketing gimmick in Japan leading up to the Tokyo Olympics. Sure, it's memorable, but maybe what's catchy isn't always scientifically accurate. So how right were we about the 10k goal? Katherine Owen, PhD from the University of Sydney, spearheaded an examination of data collated from 57 studies with over 160,000 adults to put the long-lived debate to rest.

The revelations were impressive: as compared to taking 2,000 steps a day, hitting 7,000 steps daily reduces the risk of untimely death by 47%. The 'Lancet Public Health' publication also highlighted additional health perks like, a 25% lower risk of developing heart disease, a 47% decrease chance of dying due to cardiovascular disease, and a 37% lower cancer mortality risk, amongst others.

Getting these results doesn't require you to put up your 'Do Not Disturb' sign for hours either. According to Keith Baar, PhD, an exercise physiology professor at the University of California Davis, just over an hour of brisk walk daily could skyrocket your health! On average, we walk around 100 steps a minute – do the math and walk for about 70 minutes to notch up your daily health goal.

And hey, we got some more good news for you. You don't need to micro calculate your bathroom trek or that quick coffee trip to your kitchen. In fact, Dr. Lee from Harvard Medical School claims that the average American with their regular routine already trots approximately 5,000 steps a day. Meaning? You only need about 20 additional walking minutes to escalate your daily steps count to 7,000.

Seth Martin, MD, a professor and preventive cardiologist at Johns Hopkins University, suggests some fun hacks to reach your daily goal. How about walking after every hearty meal? Or choosing stairs over elevator chit-chat? You could even park slightly farther and enjoy the bonus steps. Or better still - get a dog. An adorable walking companion who ensures you walk regardless of snow or shine! Multitasking is the secret sauce. Pack in more steps into your daily routine and make the magic number of 7,000 less daunting.