Dean Unglert Says He Was 'Completely Sober' While Filming Upcoming Season of 'Bachelor in Paradise'

Dean Unglert didn’t need alcohol to enjoy his time in Mexico while filming the upcoming season of Bachelor in Paradise.

On the newest episode of his Help! I Suck at Dating podcast, cohosted by fellow Bachelor nation stars Vanessa Grimaldi and Jared Haibon, Unglert says he took immense pride in his “best season” ever after remaining sober throughout the entire BiP taping.

“For the first time in all four seasons, I’ve stayed completely sober the entire time,” Unglert, 28, reveals in an exclusive clip shared with PEOPLE. “Which is a challenging thing, in that circumstance, because you get bored a lot, all you wanna do is drink, your friends are drinking, all you wanna do is join them.”

“I’m excited to watch it back,” he continues. “For the first time, I’m finally like, ‘I don’t have to worry about being drunk and saying something stupid on camera’ because I didn’t get drunk.”

“I still said stupid things on camera,” he jokingly acknowledges, “but I didn’t get drunk and [do it] … I will say this was probably my best season of Bachelor since the first one.”

Unglert also notes that in comparison to past seasons, he feels “100 percent better this time” after leaving the show.

The reality star did not, however, confirm whether his decision to stay sober led him to a relationship with fellow BiP star Caelynn Miller-Keyes, whom multiple sources previously told PEOPLE he is now dating.

“I don’t know if I’m in a relationship after all of this is said and done,” he explains of whether he is still single. “I think you’ll have to watch this season and decide for yourself.”

On Monday, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that Unglert and Miller-Keyes, 24, who competed on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor, were dating after hitting it off on the upcoming season of BiP.

“They both went to Paradise and really hit it off there, but then Dean got cold feet and left,” the insider said. “He got home and realized he really had feelings for Caelynn, so went back to Paradise for a second chance.”

The insider added, “Things have been going much better between them since they left Mexico together.”

Though Unglert was not willing to reveal whether they were dating, he did admit to starting the show with a closed mind.

“Truth be told: I went on the show not looking to be in a relationship with anyone,” he shares on the podcast. “I’m not saying whether I am in a relationship now or I’m not, but I went on the show with zero intention to leave the show in a relationship.”

“Does that degrade the integrity of the show? Probably a little bit,” he continues. “I went in with the intention, like we all do, of you get on the show, you’re gonna sit on the beach for a little bit and relax, have some drinks, meet some new people, hang out, whatever.”

“I went on the show without expecting to leave in a relationship, almost actually fighting it to leave in a relationship,” he adds.

Unglert went on to take responsibility for his previous comments where he claimed in January that all Bachelor relationships were “fake”, following his split Lesley Murphy, with whom he starred on Bachelor Winter Games.

“I put my foot in my mouth every chance I possibly get, and probably will do it plenty more times,” he admits. “I think when I said that … [I] was coming off a heated moment and I learned some things I didn’t like and I was beside myself.”

“I was upset and I was venting and being extreme and radical because of those things,” Unglert continues. “So yes, I don’t think that all Bachelor relationships are fake.”

Bachelor in Paradise season 6 premieres on Monday, August 5 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.