Nick Viall Recalls 'the Most Painful and Exhausting Moments of My Life' on “Special Forces ”(Exclusive)

The 'Bachelor' alum remembers feeling like his "hands were about to explode, because you go from freezing cold to hot" while filming the Fox competition series

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Monday's season finale of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.

Nick Viall is reflecting on the physical and emotional toll of filming Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.

Speaking to PEOPLE, the podcast host and Bachelor alum, 43, looked back on what he had to endure to pass selection and win the competition alongside contestants Erin Jackson and Tyler Cameron on Monday’s season finale.

“I'd never been hypothermic before,” he admits. “Thankfully [Erin] stepped up, and her and Jack [Osbourne] helped me out. But then I'm in this hot shower, and honestly it felt like my hands were about to explode, because you go from freezing cold to hot.”

Related: Nick Viall Says He Hopes His Special Forces Experience Will 'Help Toughen Me Up' for Fatherhood (Exclusive)

He continues, “And then I just honestly never really got warm after that, so I was always constantly shaking.”

However, the reality star found the mental challenges of the experience to be far more taxing, sharing, “I think that fatigue, it messes with your mind and everything.”

He explains that endured “some of the most painful and exhausting moments of my life.”

“It's just honestly, when I think back about my mental state at those times, it's surreal to think about,” he adds.

Related: Tyler Cameron Shares How Special Forces Grew His Respect and Admiration for His Brother in the Army (Exclusive)

Before finding out that he had passed selection, Viall shared on Special Forces what it would mean for him to win the competition after facing many obstacles.

“I definitely love to win,” he said. “I think a big part of life is just being resilient and not giving up. If I made it through selection, I’d feel a sense of accomplishment, you know, I think I'd be proud.”

The television personality noted after winning the competition, “Life is full of challenges and to be able to know that you can step up to the plate time and time again is a very rewarding feeling.”

He added, “It’s truly something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

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Season 2 of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test can be streamed in full on Hulu.

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