Prioritising brains over brawn is a refreshing change from previous leading men on The Bachelor.
"Leading up to submitting the PhD dissertation there was a lot of work obviously. I was running low on time [to work out]," Matt continued.
Once the Aussie hunk completed his studies, he went to great lengths to improve his physique.
Matt revealed that he followed an intermittent fasting regimen - where he eats all his daily meals in "4-6 hours."
"So I usually only really have coffees, I don't do breakfast. Sometimes I'll skip lunch," he recently told an Australian publication.
"I eat in a smaller window, sometimes only 4-6 hours in the evening. They're a lot of proteins, lean meats, salads, yogurts."
Once his role on the show was confirmed, Matt improved his fitness regimen too.
"In terms of working out, I run three times a week. Just short runs 4-6kms and lift [weights] four times a week," Matt said.
In March, Channel 10 released Matt's first promotional picture for The Bachelor, which was taken shortly before he began filming.
However, Matt looked completely different in newer promo shots taken after the show had wrapped up.
The Bachelor Australia airs Thursday at 7:30 pm on Channel 10.