Matt James and Girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell 'Keep Each Other Honest' and 'Communicate' About Their Future Goals

Matt James might have run a slew of marathons, but it doesn't mean his girlfriend, Rachael Kirkconnell, is interested in going down that same path. However, the two, who met during James' season of The Bachelor, which aired in 2021, support each other through it all.

"We just communicate. We have conversations where we're talking about what we want the future to look like and what our goals and aspirations are. We keep each other honest in that way. She'll be like, 'Hey, Matt, you said you were going to run today. It's 8:30 a.m. Get up.' The more you share, the more people can keep you accountable, so I think it's a really healthy thing even outside of running to have these conversations about what your goals are," the fitness guru, 32, exclusively tells OK! while talking about his partnership with RXBAR, which is introducing the AR tool to help you face the challenges that keep you from achieving your wellness goals with James' tested training techniques.

"It's cool that everyone's their own person," he says of how they differ. "She's not trying to be anything she isn't. She isn't an ultra marathoner. She likes Pilates, and I think we try to pull each other into each other's things. She'll bring me to a Pilates class, and I'll try her workouts, and it opens my eyes to things. I'm like, 'Man, I'm not as strong as I thought I was! Pilates is hard!" he quips.

Though the two love to work out together, they also love to eat — especially when they're traveling. "Rachael's definitely inspired this in me and brought it out of me," he gushes. "I like something where I can enjoy it and indulge. I like going to SUGARFISH and ordering a bunch of different types of dishes. We'll eat a lot of sushi. I don't feel as bas about going in on sushi as I would about ordering six pizzas."

When the brunette beauty, 27, isn't around, the North Carolina native visits restaurants she wouldn't necessarily be excited about. "When we're on a date, I default to whatever she wants to do. There's nothing worse than going somewhere and you get something you're not stoked about, especially food. We'll typically eat sushi or Italian; it depends what she's in the mood for."

In a few weeks, the duo are headed to Tokyo, Japan, again. "We went earlier this year, and she's been begging me to go back," he admits. "Traveling is one of the things we enjoy the most. We spend a lot of time on the road."

Since The Bachelor alum is all about motivating others, including his loved ones, it was a no-brainer he and RXBAR partnered up to serve up your dose of that No B.S. Motivator with AR-scannable packaging. The iconic RXBAR® packaging – with its list of simple ingredients and “No B.S.” – now comes with another perk: motivation from James.

"It's very fitting to partner with a company like RXBAR. I'm a consumer of RXBAR Protein Bars, and as someone who is constantly fighting the internal battle of giving up, every run, I'm like, 'You can't do this. You're not fight enough. You're tired, your feet hurt, you didn't get enough sleep,' but those are all B.S. thoughts. I'm fighting to get them out of my brain," he explains. "What better way to motivate people who are probably have similar thoughts on their runs? Then, to come at them with a No B.S. Motivator with RXBAR and encourage them either before they run or after and say congratulations, we did this, that's not a lie! It's nice to know I'm not doing this by myself. I feel seen."

James is typically "crazy hungry" after a run, and since it's important to incorporate protein into one's routine, RXBAR is the perfect snack after exercise. "It provides fuel, rebuilds muscle, they travel great, you can have it on the go, you can have it before a run. Anytime a brand reaches out that you support and you're a fan of is the icing on top of the cake!" he exclaims.

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Using augmented reality (AR) technology, the new No B.S. Motivator experience takes fan-favorite bars and turns them into pocket-sized motivators. Starting September 17, access a series of free virtual pep talks and guided exercises from James appearing as a mini 3D hologram atop the RXBAR packaging when you visit RXBARNoBSMotivator.com.