How Would You Track Moving Weight Plates Electrically?

Hello r/ECE

I am seeking your assistance in resolving an issue I am encountering with a project I am working on. Please forgive me, as I do not have a formal background in electrical engineering.

Background:

I regularly work out at home, but I find it difficult to keep track the amount of weight and reps I do week after each week as well as the exact number of reps as I get close end of a set. Rather than manually tracking everything, my goal is to have the machine record that. However, I have encountered a problem, which I will explain below.

Problem:

The main challenge I that I am currently facing is tracking the amount of weight I am lifting. I am unsure of the best approach to achieve precise measurement in this context.

Here is a link to the machine I am using: https://a.co/d/019sUq4M .

What I am looking for:

Advice on components or methods to implement the solutions outlined below.

Possible solutions:

Solution 1: (Preferred)

Track each individual plate and calculate the total weight based on the number of plates being moved.

Solution 2:

Group the plates and monitor the overall movement, similar to the first option, but instead of tracking each plate separately, I would measure the lowest and highest plate's position and approximate the total weight by comparing the distance between the plates.

Considerations:

Ease of use:

I am currently using a Raspberry Pi to integrate the system, as I have used this platform successfully in past projects.

Flexibility:

I have other similar machines operating on the same principle, and I would like to apply the same solution to those as well.

Most importantly, thank you for taking the time to read this post. I truly appreciate any guidance or advice you can provide.